After-hours equine emergency admissions at a university referral hospital (1998 - 2007) : causes and interventions

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dc.contributor.author Viljoen, Adrienne
dc.contributor.author Saulez, Montague Newton
dc.contributor.author Donnellan, C.M.B. (Cynthia Mary Bridget)
dc.contributor.author Bester, Lynette
dc.contributor.author Gummow, Bruce
dc.date.accessioned 2009-11-04T07:04:11Z
dc.date.available 2009-11-04T07:04:11Z
dc.date.issued 2009-09
dc.description.abstract Medical records of equine after-hours admissions from 1998 to 2007 are reviewed. Data extracted from the medical records included signalment, reason for admission, pre-admission treatment, clinical presentation, procedures performed, final diagnoses, complications occurring in hospital, length of stay and outcome. Eight hundred and twenty after-hours admissions were available of which 75 % were classified as emergencies. Most horses originated from Gauteng province (82 %), with Thoroughbred, Arabian, and Warmbloods representing 46 %, 10 % and 7 % of horses. Horses had a median age of 7 years and were predominantly male (60 %). Gastrointestinal (64 %) and musculoskeletal (19 %) disorders were the primary reasons for admission. Anti-inflammatories, sedation and antibiotics were given in 51 %, 20 % and 15 % of cases respectively prior to referral. On admission, 23 % of horses had surgical intervention. Intravenous catheterisation (64 %), rectal examination (61 %), nasogastric intubation (56 %), abdominocentesis (33 %) and ultrasonography (19 %) were the procedures performed most frequently. Surgical and medical colics constituted 28 % and 27 % respectively of the overall diagnoses, while piroplasmosis was diagnosed in 5 % of horses. Post-admission complications occurred in <2 % of horses. The median length of stay was 4 days (95 % CI: 1 to 21 days). Overall survival to discharge was 74 %. This study demonstrates that the majority of after-hours equine admissions to a university referral hospital required medical intervention and were mostly due to gastrointestinal disorders. Information obtained from this study can be used in emergency referral planning. en
dc.identifier.citation Viljoen, A, Saulez, MN, Donnellan, CM, Bester, L & Gummow, B 2009, 'After-hours equine emergency admissions at a university referral hospital (1998 - 2007) : causes and interventions', Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, vol. 80, no. 3, pp. 169-173. [http://www.journals.co.za/ej/ejour_savet.html] en
dc.identifier.issn 0038-2809
dc.identifier.other 7003908833
dc.identifier.other N-9314-2014
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/11696
dc.language.iso en en
dc.publisher South African Veterinary Association en
dc.rights South African Veterinary Association en
dc.subject Emergency medicine en
dc.subject Equine hospital en
dc.subject Gastrointestinal en
dc.subject Musculoskeletal en
dc.subject Piroplasmosis en
dc.subject Ultrasonography en
dc.subject.lcsh Veterinary hospitals -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Horses -- Diseases en
dc.subject.lcsh Veterinary emergencies -- South Africa en
dc.title After-hours equine emergency admissions at a university referral hospital (1998 - 2007) : causes and interventions en
dc.type Article en


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