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BackgroundQuadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) are congenital heart defects and have been described in both human and veterinary medical literature.Case presentationA 5-year-old half-bred bay stallion was referred for surgical castration. Cardiac murmurs were heard on the presurgical clinical examination and the cardiac examination revealed subcutaneous oedema, tachycardia with a precodrial thrill and a grade 5/6 pansystolic murmur, which was heard on auscultation of the right and left side of the chest. Examination of the B-mode echocardiograms revealed the presence of a QAV (one small cusp, two equal-sized cusps, and one large cusp) and VSD in the membranous portion of the intraventricular septum. These two congenital cardiac defects were accompanied by mild aortic valve regurgitation and severe tricuspid regurgitation. Despite the presence of these cardiac defects, the horse underwent surgical castration under general anesthesia. Surgery, anaesthesia and recovery from anaesthesia were uneventful. The gelding was euthanasied after 17 months because of a progressive loss of body weight, weakness and recumbency.ConclusionA QAV in combination with VSD in a horse is an interesting finding, because to the best of our knowledge, this has not been previously described in equine literature.

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Electrocardiographic examinations were performed on 45 Silesian breed horses (group K, 3-16-year-old, 16 stallions, 29 mares) and on 25 Polish Primitive breed horses (group P, 1.5-19-year-old, two stallions, six geldings, 17 mares). Einthoven and chest leads were used. P-wave dispersion was electronically evaluated. There was no correlation between P-wave dispersion and other ECG parameters, age, sex, body mass, or month of pregnancy. The average value of P-wave dispersion for all horses was 30.77 ms (SD 3.92 ms), however in particular groups it was: in group P -31.89 ms (SD 3.07 ms), and in group K -30.15 ms (SD 4.27 ms). The maximum value of P-wave dispersion in the studied population was 40 ms, in groups P and K -37,6 ms and 40 ms, respectively. The physiological value of P-wave dispersion for the group of horses was below 45 ms.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of sildenafil citrate administrated intravaginaly on the blood flow in the bovine uterus during dioestrus. Uterine blood flow was examined in six healthy adult cows. Sildenafil was administrated intravaginaly to each cow between the 6 th and 8 th d of the ovarian cycle, in the form of vaginal suppositories containing 100 mg of active substance at a dose of 100, 200, or 300 mg per animal. Uterine perfusion was estimated by the colour Doppler examination, and obtained results were analysed with the Pixel Flux Software (Chameleon, Germany). Moreover, cardiovascular parameters were also evaluated. Animals were examined before and five times after drug application (two times at 15 min intervals, and three times at 2 h intervals). A placebo suppository was also given to the cows. The analysis of the intensity and velocity of blood flow in the uterus proved that sildenafil administrated intravaginaly significantly incre ased blood flow in the uterus and the effect of increased perfusion was observed for 4 h and 30 min after administration. The effect of increased uterine perfusion was observed after low as well as high doses of sildenafil. Significant changes in the cardiovascular parameters were not detected. There were no changes in the uterine perfusion as well as in cardiovascular parameters after placebo administration.