Hambert, M. Degree project in social work. Malmö University: Faculty of health and society, Department of social work, 2014. Equine assisted therapy is for many a yet unknown form of rehabilitation. In the current situation there is a lack of documented research on horses' involvement in rehabilitation and social work. Studies show that animals, and especially horses, can have a positive impact on human well-being, both physically and mentally.

Background: Poor perineal wound healing and infections after proctectomy surgery, affect a significant proportion of physical and psychological morbidities such as pain, leakage and abscesses. In its lengthening some of these symptoms will lead to extended periods of hospitalization. These kind of postoperative complications are also associated with delays in eventual chemotherapy treatment Aim: To describe the patients experiences of postoperative wound infection as well as communication and self-care support from the nurse specialist after proctectomy due to rectal cancer. Method: A qualitative content analysis was carried out from interviews. Results: Four main categories emerged; ?Coping with postoperative complications?, ?be independent?, ?feel safe?, and ?accept the situation?.

The aim of this study was, that from a view of professional's understand the meanings of including horses in therapy. In order to achieve the aim of the study, qualitative method was used and therewith interviews was performed with professionals who work with equine- assisted therapy. The professionals did also have an education which allowed them to independently treat clients and besides that at least five years of experience of equine- assisted therapy. The issues of the study was to understand the professionals? view of the horses role in equine-assisted therapy, which opportunities and constraints professionals consider that equine-assisted therapy entails and also if the horse could bring something unique to therapy.

Healthy, natural pastures is very valuable for biodiversity in the form of both plants and animals. An efficient use of pastures helps to preserve biodiversity, but grazing animals needs to be de-wormed to keep them healthy and to prevent harmful parasites spread on the pasture. The awareness about the environmental impact of the frequent use of deworming agents is low among the public. Some people are unaware that the absorption in horses of anthelmintics is incomplete, which make the circumstances about enviromental effect important to investigate further. The scientific evidence in this area is limited and more studies and trials are needed to deepen the knowledge about the effects of anthelmintics in the environment.

Wounds on horses are common and sometimes difficult to treat. The wounds are often big and could be discovered too late for primary sutures, which have to be applied within 8 hours from time of accident, before bacteria has been able to infiltrate the surrounding tissue. The healing is often complicated by delayed healing and wound infection with consequences like phlegmone, fistulation and proud flesh formation.To avoid these consequences, the traditional practice has been to administer systemic antibiotics alone, systemic antibiotics in combination with topical antibiotics or topical antibiotics alone. Because few antibiotics can be used in horses, is it important to household with the few substances that are available. In veterinary medicine today, the increasing resistance amongst pathogenic microbes such as MRSA presents a growing problem.

The purpose of this literature study was to describe techniques for monitoring general anesthesia and standing chemical restraint in the horse. A number of various techniques and devices related to e.g. blood pressure measurement, blood gas analysis and pulse oximetry are defined, and finally their clinical relevance and reliability are discussed. The equine patient is generally far more exposed to anesthesia-related risks than other smaller species. Complications such as hypotension and hypercapnia are commonly seen during general anesthesia. Thus, close monitoring is essentially performed by the veterinary nurse, whom is responsible for monitoring the anesthetized patient.

Obese horses with insulin resistance are often also afflicted with laminitis. Horses with these symptoms are given the diagnosis equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Signs of insulin resistance are excessive accumulation of adipose tissue on the neck, around the withers and on the dorsal area of the hindquarters. Insulin resistance means that the function of insulin is defective and does not stimulate glucose uptake by the cells in the body in the correct way. This will result in an increased insulin release.

Mammary gland neoplasia is one of the most common diseases in the bitch and the most common neoplastic disease. More than 13 % of the female dog population in Sweden suffers from mammary tumors during their lifetime. The disease can affect bitches in all ages but most often middle aged and older dogs. Some breeds such as Poodle and English Setter are predisposed for the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate if it is possible to improve the post surgical healing process by using a pressure pad.

Traumatiska sårskador är vanligt förekommande hos hästar och kunskapen om sårläkningens mekanismer har blivit mycket större under de senaste 15 åren. Vad gäller bandagematerial så säljs det nuförtiden många olika bioaktiva kompresser som syftar till att underlätta läkningsförloppet men tyvärr finns inte mycket forskning avseende hur väl dessa kompresser fungerar på sårskador på hästars extremiteter. I denna studie jämfördes fyra stycken bioaktiva kompresser: kalciumalginat, manukahonung, polyhexametylen biguandin (PHMB) och Sorbact. Totalt behandlades 15 traumatiskt uppkomna sår i fältmiljö. Samarbetande distriktsveterinärer inledde behandlingen av sårskadan med en bioaktiv kompress enligt ett randomiserat protokoll.

Rotavirus causes diarrhea in young mammals all over the world, including infant humans. The diarrhea leads to severe dehydration that can be fatal if left untreated. The dehydration can be treated with fluid therapy and the infection heals itself. Despite the relatively easy treatment half a million children under the age of five dies every year due to diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus sorts into the family Reoviridae and is a double-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome.

Equestrianism is a big sport in Sweden with many practitioners. It is a dangerous sport and it is important for the rider to be aware of the risks, to study equine ethology and know how to handle the horse, to avoid accidents. Today most people have their first contact with a horse through a horseback riding school. Ölmstad rid- och körsällskap is a riding school that provides their pupils with a different kind of lessons. The lessons are 90 minutes long and contain both riding and horse-knowledge education.

Rotavirus causes diarrhea in young mammals all over the world, including infant humans. The diarrhea leads to severe dehydration that can be fatal if left untreated. The dehydration can be treated with fluid therapy and the infection heals itself. Despite the relatively easy treatment half a million children under the age of five dies every year due to diarrhea caused by rotavirus. Rotavirus sorts into the family Reoviridae and is a double-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome.

Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalities (MCOA) is a genetic disease that affects primarily Silver coloured horses of breeds such as the Rocky and Kentucky mountain horses. In these breeds the Silver dapple colour is very popular leading to an increase of affected horses. The major feature of the disease is ocular cysts of variable size. Large cysts also lead to a variety of secondary syndromes, for example retinal detachment. In previous studies the locus for MCOA has been mapped to an interval of 420 kb on equine chromosome six.

Surgical site infections are a recurrent problem in veterinary medicine. A 2-5 % infection rate in clean surgery has been reported. During the last years the increase in methicillin resistant staphylococci has also taken its toll on veterinary medicine, demanding a stricter hygiene and antibiotic regime. The 2008 outbreak of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at the University animal hospital, Swedish University of Agriculture indicated that that the MRSA problem was now a real, possibly zoonotic problem.Since the first dog, in Sweden, was diagnosed as a carrier of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) in a study in 2006, the infection rate by this bacterium has increased. In 2009 (January 1st - December 2nd) the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) has identified 58 samples as MRSP positive.

Septic tenosynovitis involving the digital sheath is a relatively common problem in the horse and the prognosis has been considered as poor. However, there are only few studies confirming this. The purpose of this study is to increase the knowledge about the prognosis for septic tenosynovitis in the digital sheath. The literature indicates that half or a bit more than half of the treated horses will return to previous use. The recommended treatment is debridement of the wound, lavage and sometimes application of drains and broadspectrum antibiotics. The prognosis is considered as worse when the infection is established.