Conference paper

Publication year: 2003

Pages: 596-602

Journal: Praktische Tierarzt

Volume number: 84

Issue number: 8

ISSN: 0032-681X

Conference: BPT-Kongrss

Publisher: Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft

Abstract: 
Traditional German law concerning lifestock and horse trade originated from 1899 ("Kaiserliche Verordnung"). These specialised regulations were abandoned in 2002, in order to harmonise European trading law. Nowadays in Germany, the rights of a new horse owner are - in comparison to his situation before 1st January 2002 - widely extended with a warranty period on its purchase for at least 6 months and up to 2 years. As a consequence, equine practitioners in Germany were trying to agree if and how purchase exams need to be adapted to this situation: most of the practitioners vowed, that anamnestic and clinical methods are sufficient for routine evaluation of the lower airways. Further diagnostic techniques, e.g. tracheobronchoscopy, can be recommended (and should be, if any doubt about the health of the lower airways arises), but are not part of a routine purchase examination. A study of 80 horses, all suffering from COPD, is included in this paper. Breathing frequency, degree of abdominal lift and lung auscultation findings were evaluated. About 11% of the patients would not have been detected by combining these clinical examination techniques. The data underline a low sensitivity of the clinical examination techniques, especially in detection of mild abnormalities in the deeper airways of the horse. Conclusively, information of owner and buyer by the veterinarian about the low sensitivity of clinical examination methods of the lower airways in a presumably sound horse is needed, because a mild disease of the lower airways cannot be excluded with a high propability. A thorough examination, careful documentation and consultation will minimise liability risks.

Harvard Citation style: Fey, K. (2003) Die tiefen Atemwege des Pferdes im Rahmen der Kaufuntersuchung - gibt es Befunde ohne besondere klinische Beeinträchtigung?, Praktische Tierarzt, 84(8), pp. 596-602

APA Citation style: Fey, K. (2003). Die tiefen Atemwege des Pferdes im Rahmen der Kaufuntersuchung - gibt es Befunde ohne besondere klinische Beeinträchtigung?. Praktische Tierarzt. 84(8), 596-602.