Medical records of 210 horses that survived ventral midline celiotomy for at least 4 months were examined and owners were queried to determine factors contributing to incisional hernia formation. The incidence rate of incisional hernias within 4 months was 16%. Factors significantly associated with occurrence of incisional hernias were incisional drainage, closure of the linea alba with chromic gut suture material, previous midline celiotomy, excessive incisional edema, castrated male sex, postoperative leukopenia, and postoperative pain (colic). Factors not significantly associated with occurrence of incisional hernias were suture pattern used for linea alba closure, concurrent enterotomy or intestinal resection, postoperative bandage or stent, postoperative fever, hypoproteinemia, diarrhea, respiratory disease (coughing), and peritonitis. Hernias developed in horses within 12 weeks of surgery, with the earliest hernia recognized at week 2. Of 30 horses for which information was available, only one hernia developed in 24 (80%) and two or more hernias developed in 6 (20%) along the incision. Multiple hernias tended to be smaller than single hernias.

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Medial patellar desmotomy was performed on one (treated) hindlimb, and a sham operation on the other (control) hindlimb, of 12 normal horses. The horses were examined for lameness before medial patellar desmotomy and at months 1, 2, and 3. The femoropatellar joints were examined radiographically and arthroscopically at month 3. All horses were lame on the treated limb at months 1, 2, or 3. Radiographic changes, including fragment formation at the distal aspect of the patella and bone production at the attachment of the middle patellar ligament on the patella, were present in 11 horses at month 3. Articular cartilage fibrillation or detachment was seen arthroscopically on the patellas of all treated limbs. In six horses, loosely attached fragments of bone and cartilage were removed arthroscopically from the distal aspect of the patella of the treated limb. The control limbs were clinically, radiographically, and arthroscopically normal throughout the study. Medial patellar desmotomy results in pathologic changes in the articular cartilage of the patella and adjacent soft tissues. Use of this surgical procedure should be reserved for persistent and confirmed cases of upward fixation of the patella.

In contrast to a study conducted on horses from this region in 1985, cyathostomes were the most common gastrointestinal parasites found. The four most common cyathostome species found in the present study correlated well with findings of studies in other locations. The high number of cyathostomes may be due to the increase in resistance to anthelmintics among the species, and to improper anthelmintic use. The apparent reduction in number of large strongyles may be due to the widespread use of ivermectin, which is very effective against these parasites, and also possibly because some larvae may not have been detected.