Reasons for performing this study: Colic has for a long time been seen as a serious health problem in the equine population. Even so, the knowledge of Colic seems to differ a great deal among the people interacting with horses. A large number of studies have for several years looked at risk factors that cause Colic, in order to provide knowledge about them. The knowledge can then be used as tools for developing prophylactic methods in order to reduce the number of horses that develop Colic. Objectives The aim with this study was to investigate if people have the correct knowledge about Colic in horses, which risk factors that cause Colic today and describe prophylactic methods that can result in avoidance of Colic in horses. Method Eleven veterinary practices were contacted in order to send out two questionnaires for a study of six weeks.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate if pulsed inhaled nitric oxide (PiNO) could be used as a treatment for hypoxemia during general anaesthesia in Colic horses. Previous studies have shown a positive response in horses receiving PiNO in comparison to controls, but these studies have only included healthy individuals. A total of 30 horses were included in this present study, they all underwent abdominal surgery because of acute Colic that could not be medically treated. Fifteen of the horses received PiNO and 15 horses served as a control group. Arterial oxygenation was improved in all horses receiving PiNO.

Ten Colic horses and seven healthy horses were included in a prospective study aiming to evaluate acid-base disturbances in Colic horses. Traditional acid-base methods and measurements of lactate were used to study prognosis and changes before, during and after surgery. Strong ion gap, anion gap and base excess were compared to evaluate their ability to predict lactate. Of the ten Colic horses that went through surgery, seven survived, two were euthanised and one died. Significant differences in plasma lactate levels were seen between the group of survivals and non-survivals, p=0,000025. No differences were seen in pH and base excess between the two groups.

Every six baby that is born gets Colic. It means that the child cries for at least three hours three days a week. For the child?s parents this is one big strain and feelings like despair, helplessness and isolation are common. The nurse?s task is to support the parents through respectful and empathic actions in order to relieve sufferings and increase their feelings of confidence.

The aim of this work was to investigate possible risk factors for Colic in horses, and to describe what horse owners can do to prevent this condition. The gastrointestinal system of the horse is constructed for continuous high fibre consumption for a period up to eighteen hours a day. Under those conditions, the continuous flow of digesta stimulates gut motility so that the intestines move constantly. When the diet is changed rapidly and the horse is being fed high rations of concentrates each day, the risk of getting Colic is higher compared to when consuming less concentrates and giving the horse a stable diet. Lack or absence of access to water and restricted allowance to move freely every day increases the risk of Colic. Changed management practices and decreased activity contributes to increased risks, as well as other critical risk factors such as breed, season and age combined with rapidly changed management. More knowledge and education is required of the horse owners about feed requirements in the horse, management routines and rapidly changed activity..

In total 249 horses surgically treated for Colic in Sweden during 2002 until 2005 were studied. The horses was identified by the animal insurance company Agria. Survival was studied with respect to age, gender, breed, diagnosis (small intestinal problems, caecal problems, large intestinal problems, incarceration in nephrosplenic ligament, unspecific Colic and other Colic problems) and treating hospital. Different survivals were calculated. For short-term survival proportions was used and for long-term it was done using Kaplan-Meier technique and log-rank testing.

The main objective of this research was to study how increased arterial oxygenation by the use of Pulsed Inhaled Nitric-Oxide (PiNO) influenced the metabolic and cardiovascular parameters on horses undergoing acute abdominal surgery because of Colic. The parameters blood lactate, blood glucose, pH and heart rate were evaluated before and during anesthesia and closely after recovery. The study showed that blood lactate concentrations decreased significantly during anaesthesia in horses treated with PiNO compared to non-treated horses. It was also seen that the lactate concentration decreased most in horses with the highest levels before PiNO treatment. Since enhanced oxygen extraction ratio was evident in the PiNO group, improved oxygen delivery to the tissue may be a possible explanation for the improved situation.

SAMMANFATTNING Detta examensarbete syftar till att kvalitetssäkra omvårdnaden av hästar med medicinsk kolik på djursjukhusens stationärvårdsavdelning. Genom att bidra med ett förslag till standardvårdplan för hästar med medicinsk kolik vill vi optimera hästens vård och omvårdnad under sjukhusvistelsen. Syftet med att arbeta med standardvårdplaner (SVP) är att skapa högkvalitativ omvårdnad, underlätta dokumentationsarbetet och i förlängningen kunna få mer tid till att se och vårda den enskilde patienten. Kolik är en åkomma med många olika samverkande faktorer, både miljöbetingade och eventuellt ärftliga Kolik i matsmältningskanalen delas ofta in i medicinsk- och kirurgisk kolik och i detta arbete läggs vikten på medicinsk kolik. Huvuddelen (~90 %) av all kolik kräver ingen kirurgi och tillhör därmed gruppen medicinsk kolik. Kolikavsnittet i arbetet är tänkt som en kunskapsöversikt över sjukdomstillståndet och ska användas som ett styrdokument för att trygga en kvalitativ basnivå på omvårdnaden. I standardvårdplanen har ett antal riskområden identifierats och därefter har riskdiagnoser, mål och åtgärder för att uppnå huvudmålet - en kolikfri patient, utarbetats. Därpå utvecklades kryssprotokoll för parametrar vid observation av kolikhäst och för smärtbedömning vid medicinsk kolik. Nyckelord: dokumentation, medicinsk kolik, omvårdnad, standardvårdplan SUMMARY This diploma work aims to assure the quality care of horses with medical Colic on the veterinary hospital's stationary ward.

The aim of the study was to investigate feeding routines, management, health and level of activity of riding horses in Sweden. This was obtained by a survey requesting information from owners who kept horses at a non-professional level. Owners to approximately 500 horses were contacted and the usable response of the survey was 56 %. The dominating breed in the study was Swedish warmblood (38 %). Fiftytwo percent of the horses were geldings, 45 % were mares and 3 % were stallions.

Följande litteraturstudie sammanställer information från sex rapporter om hästar med kolik orsakad av spolmask. Särskild tyngdpunkt är ägnad förekomsten av spolmaskassocierad kolik, predilektionsområde för obstruktionen, riskgrupp, riskperiod samt avmaskning i samband med kolikfallen. Detta ämne är synnerligen aktuellt då avmaskningsmedel numera är receptbelagt och en alltmer utbredd läkemedelsresistens mot anthelmintika förekommer. Riskperioden då flest kolikfall inträffar är under hösten och riskåldern är cirka fem månader. Majoriteten av hästarna är avmaskade med ett paralyserande anthemintikum en till fem dagar innan koliken.

Bakgrund: Spädbarnsskrik associeras med intensiv gråt hos spädbarnet. Som pappa kan skrikperioden upplevas påfrestande. Specialistsjuksköterskan på barnhälsovården kan erbjuda vägledning och stöd i föräldraskapet. Huruvida spädbarnsskriket påverkar papparollen är inte väl studerat Syfte: Att beskriva pappors upplevelser och erfarenheter av spädbarnsskrik under spädbarnets första sex månader Metod: Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ intervjustudie med åtta pappor. Materialet analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys Resultat: I resultatet framkom att papporna upplevde en otillräcklighet under skrikperioden.

During an endurance riding competition the onset of metabolic disorders leading up to elimination from the race are common. As many as 8,7 % of the horses participating in international endurance riding competitions are eliminated due to metabolic causes such as tachycardia, absence of borborygmi, hyperthermia and dehydration. To prevent the onset of metabolic disorders in the horse the rider must be able to determine the physiological and physical status of his or her horse. This requires good knowledge in nutrition, physiology and performance training. The risk of developing metabolic problems is reduced through the right feeding management and training.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered a specific and a sensitive biomarker of cardiac disease, and due to a high inter-species sequence homology; human cTnI assays can often be used in veterinary medicine. The main aim of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of a human cTnI test, the Meritas Troponin I test, for measurement of equine plasma cTnI, in order to investigate whether the test could be a possible subject for a more comprehensive validation. The hypothesis was that the test could measure equine cTnI, as there is a good homology between equine cTnI and human cTnI. The evaluation included a dilution parallelism, an intra-assay precision study and measurement of plasma cTnI healthy horses. In the dilution parallelism and the intra-assay precision study, equine plasma with previously established high cTnI concentration, according to another cTnI assay, was used. In addition, cTnI concentration was measured in plasma, collected from 19 horses, without signs of disease at physical and ECG examinations. The obtained curve in the dilution parallelism was linear, indicating that the Meritas Troponin I test can be used to measure different concentrations of equine cTnI in plasma.

This study consists of a literature study and a survey in Tamil Nadu, India. The aim of the study was to get an understanding of horse feeding in tropical climates and what kind of feeding related problems that could occur because of the fodder. Information and data were collected from eight different stables and from Tamil Nadu University of Agriculture in the region of Tamil Nadu in March-April 2009. The horses in Tamil Nadu were given rice straw, unknown grass, Cynodon dactylon, lucerne, maize, Pennisetum glaucum x Pennisetum purpureum hybrid and Chloris gayana as roughage. As concentrates, the horses were given wheat bran, oats, barley, soybean meal, maize, carrots, coconut cake, peanut cake, horse gram and chick pea.

SUMMARYThe riding school horse is the base for the riding school. Riding schools are looking for a suitable horse that meets their demands for exterior, age, education, temperament, price and sustainability. Many different aspects may define the sustainability of the riding school horse; of them is how long life the riding school horse has in riding school activity. Previous studies have shown that the riding schools requirements are 8-12 years life span in the riding school.The purpose of this study was to describe the Swedish riding school horse life span in riding schools and at what age the riding school horses were recruited, disposed and the reasons for disposal. Information about the riding school horse life span in riding schools and reasons for disposal can provide important understanding regarding the importance of health for the riding school horse, riding school economy and profitability in the riding school.