Summary A 5‐year‐old Warmblood mare was presented to the clinic 8 h after being found by the owners with luxation of the second cervical vertebra. Clinically, the horse showed an extended posture and reduced movement of the head and neck. A defined lateral swelling of the neck at the level of the first cervical vertebrae was evident. Successful reduction was achieved with the horse under general anaesthesia in lateral recumbency using an electrically powered hand pallet truck. The mare showed no neurological disorders before or after reduction. Seven months after the incident the mare could be ridden and exhibited no functional abnormalities relating to the neck.

Summary A newborn Thoroughbred foal was presented to the clinic with ambiguous neurological deficits, spinal anomalies and a soft tissue swelling dorsal to the lumbar vertebral column. The foal was alert but unable to rise and stand. With radiography, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) a lumbar dysraphic anomaly, cerebellar herniation and coincidental skeletal abnormalities were documented. Finally, a meningomyelocele was defined and, in context with the cerebellar herniation through the foramen magnum, the foal was diagnosed to have a Chiari malformation. The MRI examination corresponded best with the post mortem findings. Although 3‐dimensional imaging methods have been considered superior regarding full and detailed assessment of the congenital malformation, radiography and ultrasonography also provide essential information to diagnose dysraphic lesions at reduced costs and efforts. A Chiari malformation should be considered as a differential diagnosis in foals with neurological deficits.

ZusammenfassungEin acht Monate altes männliches schweres Warmblutfohlen wurde im Dezember 2006 in der Chirurgischen Tierklinik der Universität Leipzig aufgrund einer seit der dritten Lebenswoche bestehenden Umfangsvermehrung im medialen Bereich des linken Sprunggelenkes vorgestellt. Die Tarsalregion wurde röntgenologisch, sonographisch und magnetresonanztomographisch untersucht. Die Verdachtsdiagnose eines Hämangiosarkoms konnte nach der chirurgischen Totalresektion pathohistologisch bestätigt werden. Nach teilweiser sekundärer Wundheilung wurde das Fohlen sechs Wochen nach dem Eingriff entlassen. Trotz der ungünstigen Prognose sind bis 18 Monate nach der Intervention keine Hinweise auf Rezidive oder Metastasen berichtet worden.Schlüsselwörter: Pferd, Hämangiosarkom, Tarsus, Umfangsvermehrung, Totalresektion, MRT Successful surgical removal of a haemangiosarcoma in a foalA male foal with an age of eight month was presented to the Clinic for Large Animal Surgery in December 2006. The owner had noticed an increased tissue growth at medial side of the left hock, since its third week of life. The region of the tarsus was examined radiologically, sonographically and with MRI. The suspected diagnosis of a haemangiosarcoma was proved histopathologically after total surgical resection. After a partial secondary wound closure, the foal went home six weeks later. Despite the poor prognosis, no indication of metastatic spread or local reccurence had been reported until 18 months after discharge from the clinic.

A tissue defect in the parotid duct can be repaired successfully by temporary use of a stent until wound healing occurs.

Nowadays a large spectrum of analgesics is clinically applicable in the horse. The advantages of a good analgesia largely ponder its disadvantages. In order to choose the best suitable option or combination of analgesics for the patient depending on the indication, basic knowledge in pain patho-physiology and pharmacology is required. The most frequently applied analgesics in horses are the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID). Because of their peripheral anti-inflammatory action and other complex mechanisms, they can be very effectively used to treat orthopedic or visceral pain. However one must be conscious that they can cause important side effects. For this reason new products appeared on the market lately, with less impairment of the homeostasis. Glucocorticoids are other more potent anti-inflammatory drugs. Since their side effects are more pronounced, local application is often preferred for therapy of significant aseptic inflammations. The opioids belong to a very effective family of analgesics. These are mainly administered in combination with sedatives as part of the operative premedication. They can also be systemically administered or locally injected (intraarticular or epidural) in order to produce long lasting anti-nociception. The local anesthetics are administered in order to inhibit the pain transmission. They are able to produce long lasting regional analgesia. Other clinically relevant characteristics are the protective effect against reperfusion injuries, the systemic analgesia and the intestinal prokinetic effects of lidocain, when given intravenously as a continuous rate infusion. The α2 agonists are known as the strongest analgesics in the horse. They are particularly indicated to treat strong abdominal pain. In addition, they can be used for long lasting epidural anesthesia. Ketamine is routinely employed for general anesthesia and is well-known for its somatic analgesic properties in human medicine. Moreover, this dissociative anesthetic can be effective in local applications (e.g. epidural) in equine patients. The goal of this article is to point out the different analgesics which can be used in the horse and explain their mechanisms of action. This should allow the veterinarian to select the optimal product and/or the most adequate method and combination depending on the clinical cases.