In this prospective blinded randomised study, 28 male 9 week old pigs of bodyweight 25 kg, were anaesthetised for castration using 5 mg/kg azaperone, 0.2 mg/kg butorphanol and 0.4 mg/kg meloxicam, in conjunction with either 15 mg/kg racemic ketamine (Keta-Race) or 9 mg/kg S-ketamine (S-Keta), all drugs being injected intramuscularly. Anaesthesia induction, maintenance and recovery were timed and scored. Insufficient anaesthesia was supplemented with ¼ the initial dose of ketamine or S-ketamine, respectively, administered intravenously. A t-test was utilised for analysis of timings, and, for repeated recovery time data, ANOVA was used. In relation to quantification and timing of supplemental drug doses, a chi square test was used and the scoring was analysed by two sample Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Ketamine re-dosing was required in 23 animals on a total of 46 occasions distributed evenly throughout both groups. The only group differences occurred during recovery, with the S-Keta group showing earlier movements, sternal recumbency and ability to stand. Three pigs in each group showed muscle fasciculations during the recovery period, while an additional two animals of the Keta-Race group exhibited marked and unacceptable paddling in recovery. In conclusion, S-ketamine at a dose rate of 60 % of that of racemic ketamine induced comparable anaesthesia for castration in pigs, but with superior recovery characteristics.

Summary: This retrospective case series describes sand-enteropathy in 35 cases presented at the Institut suisse de médecine équine (ISME) of the University of Bern since 2004 and up to July 2016. Horses and ponies were referred due to colic or abdominal discomfort. Impaction due to sand has increasingly been observed since 2004 and, compared to the general hospital population, Shetland-Ponies were overrepresented with 48 %. Besides clinical examination, abdominal radiographs were performed in 23 horses and quantity of sand was scored in a standardized fashion using three different scoring systems, which showed satisfactory to excellent agreement. Twentyfour horses (70 %) were treated medically and in 11 (30 %) a laparotomy was performed. Survival rate to discharge of the hospital was 91.4 % (3/35) and was 85 % (27/32) one year following discharge. Stronger disease awareness towards sand-enteropathy in equids is warranted. Abdominal radiography is a sensitive non-invasive method for diagnosing large colon sand impaction, especially in smaller breeds and for judging the amount of sand and should be used to control sand elimination over time. Although there is a risk of colitis and recurrent colic due to mucosal irritation generally, sand-enteropathy has a good prognosis at long-term in our hospital population.