BackgroundTreatment for horses with pythiosis of a limb is challenging. This study aims to evaluate the effects of administering amphotericin B in a 10 % solution of dimethylsulfoxide by intravenous regional limb perfusion (IRLP) to treat horses for cutaneous pythiosis of a limb.ResultsAll 15 of the horses treated had complete resolutions of their lesion between 6 to 9 weeks after a single IRLP treatment. No complications were observed at the site of venipuncture for IRLP. Before initiation of treatment, there was anemia and marked leucocytosis which resolved following treatment. Serum biochemistry showed no significant changes.ConclusionsIRLP administration of amphotericin B in a 10 % DMSO solution was easily performed, relatively inexpensive and an effective treatment for treating horses for pythiosis of a limb and resolved the infection with no complications.

As afecções odontológicas que causam dor aos equinos refletem inadequada trituração do alimento, prejudicando a digestão e predispondo o animal a um emagrecimento progressivo. O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a influência do tratamento odontológico preventivo sobre a deposição de gordura subcutânea e peso de éguas criadas em sistema extensivo. Foram utilizadas 16 éguas, sem raça definida, com idade entre 5 e 15 anos, apresentando escore de condição corporal entre 3 e 4 (escala de 1 a 9), sem histórico de tratamento odontológico prévio. Estes animais foram distribuídos igualmente em dois grupos, sendo o grupo tratado (GT) e o grupo controle (GC). No GT, foi realizada inspeção da cavidade oral e tratamento odontológico. No GC, foi realizada apenas inspeção da cavidade oral. Todos os animais foram pesados com fita torácica e a mensuração da camada de gordura subcutânea foi realizada através do exame ultrassonográfico na base da cauda a cada 30 dias durante cinco meses. Para a avaliação das variáveis, foi utilizado um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, e as médias entre os grupos foram comparadas pelo teste F a 5% de probabilidade para análise de variância (ANOVA). Não foi observada diferença no ganho de peso nem variação na espessura de gordura subcutânea na base da cauda entre os grupos tratado e controle no período de 5 meses. Conclui-se que embora os animais do GT não ganhassem peso comparado ao GC, o tratamento odontológico é considerado um método benéfico na prevenção de muitas afecções do sistema digestivo que poderiam culminar em cólica, também proporciona um melhor aproveitamento dos componentes contidos na dieta, e ainda favorecer o bem-estar animal.

Background:Actinobacillosis in adult horses is rare, and is often associated with infection due to Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli, which is a commensal organism inhabiting the oral cavity of healthy animals. It is an opportunistic pathogen, and the infection usually occurs secondary to another primary disease or due to predisposing factors such as pre-existing lesions, mainly in the oral cavity. Infection may be associated with peritonitis, bacterial endocarditis, pneumonia, enteritis, infectious periorchitis, abortion, and septicemia. This paper aims to describe the clinical, microbiological, and pathological aspects of actinobacillosis in the oral cavity of a horse.Case:A case of actinobacillosis has been reported in a 22-year-old gelding Quarter Horse. According to the owner, the animal presented with progressive weight loss during the previous three months, and leakage of food from the oral cavity. Examination of the oral cavity revealed sharp enamel overgrowths, which had been corrected during a previous dental procedure. However, five days after the procedure, the animal developed halitosis. Ceftiofur sodium (4.4 mg/kg intramuscularly, every 24 h) was prescribed; two days after the commencement of antimicrobial therapy, the animal presented with sialorrhea, bilateral submandibular lymphadenomegaly, protrusion of the tongue, edema of the base of the tongue, cheeks, and gums, in addition to black-colored sores and scales in the oral mucosa, particularly affecting the base of the tongue and gums. Samples from ulcerative lesions found at the base of the tongue and gums were collected using sterile swabs, and culture and antibiogram were requested. Microbiological culture led to the growth of small colonies measuring less than 5 mm in diameter, that were non-hemolytic, slightly whitish in color but non-opaque, smooth and bright in appearance. These were identified as gram-negative rods on microscopy, and further characterized as Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli based on the phenotypic and biochemical findings. The antibiogram revealed sensitivity of the organisms to cephalothin and doxycycline, intermediate sensitivity to amoxicillin, and resistance to florfenicol, metronidazole, clindamycin, and sulfazotrim. The complete blood count revealed anemia with a reduction in hemoglobin (10.1 g/dL) and hematocrit (27.9%), neutrophilia (10.670 x 10³ /mm³), and lymphopenia (330 x 10³ /mm³). Decrease in serum albumin (2.0 g/dL) and alkaline phosphatase (91 IU/L), and increase in globulin (4.9 g/dL), aspartate aminotransferase (361 4 IU/L), and urea (123.8 mg/dL) were noted on biochemical analyses. Two days after the onset of acute clinical signs, the animal died; necropsy revealed severe, subacute, fibronecrotic glossitis associated with myriads of basophilic bacteria.Discussion:This report describes an infection of the oral cavity by Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli following a dental procedure, a finding compatible with the opportunistic nature of these bacteria. The presence of enamel overgrowths resulted in the formation of traumatic lesions on the oral mucosa and tongue that favored colonization of the bacteria. The case of equine glossitis reported in this study had a similar clinical presentation to the classic actinobacillosis in cattle, also known as “wooden tongue”, an infection caused by Actinobacillus lignieresii; common symptoms in cattle include oral edema, sialorrhea, and dysphagia.