Itraconazole, a third-generation azole, was evaluated for treatment of resistant nasal mycotic infections in horses. Two horses with Aspergillus spp nasal granulomas and 1 horse with Conidiobolus coronatus nasal infection were treated with itraconazole (3 mg/kg PO bid). One of the horses with nasal aspergillosis was also treated by surgical resection of the nasal septum. The treatment time for the horses ranged from 3 to 4.5 months. No adverse effects were noted in any of the horses during the treatment period. Peak and trough serum itraconazole concentrations were <0.5 fig/mL Itraconazole given orally is an effective treatment for several mycotic infections6 In murine models of aspergillosis, 60% to 70% of animals treated with itraconazole survived to 42 days.6 Aspergillus fumigatus could not be cultured from 7 of the 14 survivors on day 42. In guinea pigs with generalized cryptococcosis, 53 of 55 survived, and 29 were culture-negative. In the same study, guinea pigs infected with histoplasmosis and treated with 40 mg/kg of itraconazole had negative fungal cultures.6 In a horse, itraconazole was used to successfully treat cervical vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Coccidioides immitis.' Itraconazole has also been proven to be an effective therapy in mycotic infections in humans.'-'' Horse 1A 3-year-old thoroughbred filly was admitted for evaluation of noisy respiration and dyspnea during training. The referring veterinarian was unable to pass a 13-mm diameter endoscope through the nares into the laryngeal area. At the time of the initial examination, the filly was normal, with the exception of her upper respiratory disorder. A pediatric 8-mm endoscope was passed into the nares and laryngeal area. There was severe circumferential narrowing of both nasal passages and thickening ofthe nasal septum. The nasal conchae and turbinates were roughened and edematous, and the ventral meatii were decreased in size bilaterally. A thickened nasal septum with slight fluid accumulation in the ventral compartment of the caudal nasal cavity were detected on radiography.A complete blood cell count (CBC) and serum biochemical profile results were within the normal range for our laboratory. Under general anesthesia, the nasal septum was resected and removed to improve airflow by a technique described by McIlwraith." All visible fungal lesions were removed at surgery. However, diffuse multifocal abscesses containing fungal hyphae and fibrosis indicating incomplete removal were observed histopathologically. Grocott's methenamine-silver (GMS)-stained sections had fungal elements compatible with Aspergiilus (ie, septate, dichotomously branched hyphae), and AspergiIlus spp were isolated from the biopsy specimens. Minimum inhibitory and minimum lethal concentrations (MIC/MLC) of ketoconazole and itraconazole were determined (Table 1). Antifungal susceptibility testing was accomplished using a macrobroth dilution method previously described.'* The normal MIC for itraconazole is 0.00 1 -10 pg/mL, and normal MLC is 1 to 2 dilutions greater...

This technique appears to be an acceptable alternative to linearly stapled, side-to-side jejunojejunostomies performed in horses.

Eight horses were anesthetized three times, by intravenous administration of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg), detomidine (0.02 mg/kg) and tiletamine-zolazepam (1.1 mg/kg), or detomidine (0.04 mg/kg) and tiletamine-zolazepam (1.4 mg/kg). The sequences were randomized. The duration of analgesia and the times to sternal and standing positions were recorded. Heart rate, arterial pressure, pHa, PaCO2, and PaO2 were measured before and during anesthesia. The duration of analgesia with the two doses of detomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam, 26 +/- 4 minutes and 39 +/- 11 minutes, respectively, was significantly longer than the 13 +/- 6 minutes obtained with xylazine-ketamine. Bradycardia occurred after administration of detomidine, but heart rates returned to baseline values 5 minutes after administration of tiletamine and zolazepam. Arterial pressure was significantly higher and PaO2 significantly lower during anesthesia with detomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam than with xylazine-ketamine. Some respiratory acidosis developed with all anesthetic combinations. The authors conclude that detomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam can provide comparable anesthesia of a longer duration than xylazine and ketamine, but hypoxemia will develop in some horses.

No abstract