Results suggest that by evaluating certain factors, horses at increased risk of postoperative ileus may be recognized before the condition develops. Preventative treatment and early intervention may be instituted in these horses. Shortening surgery time and performing an enterotomy may decrease the probability of horses developing postoperative ileus.

Endoscopic examinations of the larynx were recorded on 49 horses at rest and while exercising on a 5% inclined high-speed treadmill for 8 minutes at a maximum speed of 8.5 m/sec. Subjective laryngeal function scores at rest and while exercising were based on the degree and synchrony of arytenoid abduction. Arytenoid abduction was expressed as a left:right ratio of rima glottidis measurements. Horses with arytenoid cartilage asynchrony at rest (grade 2) could not be distinguished from normal horses (grade 1) when exercising because full abduction was maintained throughout the exercise period. Five horses with incomplete left arytenoid abduction at rest (grade 3) maintained full abduction during exercise; one grade 3 horse had dynamic collapse of the left side of the larynx. All horses with laryngeal hemiplegia at rest (grade 4) had dynamic collapse of the left side of the larynx during exercise. Forty-two horses with a resting left:right arytenoid abduction ratio greater than or equal to .71 consistently had complete arytenoid abduction at exercise. Seven horses with a left:right ratio less than .71 consistently showed dynamic collapse at exercise. There was no significant difference in the exercising left:right ratio between normal horses (grade 1) and grade 2 or grade 3 horses. These results suggest that horses with arytenoid asynchrony at rest do not suffer progressive collapse of the rima glottidis during exercise, and that incomplete arytenoid abduction at rest is an unreliable predictor of such collapse. Surgical treatment of all grade 2 horses and some grade 3 horses may be inappropriate.

Tube cystostomy was used to treat 13 goats and two sheep with obstructive urolithiasis. The cystostomy tube was intermittently occluded 3 to 4 days after placement to determine if urine could be voided through the urethra. If the animal showed no discomfort during urination after the cystostomy tube had been occluded for several days, the tube was removed. This procedure was successful in relieving urethral obstruction in 12 animals. The mean time until the animal could urinate freely and until the cystostomy tube was removed was 11.5 and 14.4 days respectively. Follow-up was available for 10 animals; seven were alive with no recurrence of urinary obstruction. One goat died from unrelated to urinary obstruction 1 year postoperatively. One goat died from unknown causes, and one goat died after urinary obstruction recurred.