Associations between physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic findings and outcome and subsequent racing performance of foals with Rhodococcus equi infection: 115 cases (1984-1992).
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether physical examination, laboratory, or radiographic abnormalities in foals with Rhodococcus equi infection were associated with survival, ability to race at least once after recovery, or, for foals that survived and went on to race, subsequent racing performance.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
49 Thoroughbreds and 66 Standardbreds admitted to 1 of 6 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1984 and 1992 in which R equi infection was positively diagnosed.


METHODS
Results of physical examination, laboratory testing, and thoracic radiography were reviewed. Indices of racing performance were obtained for foals that recovered and eventually raced and compared with values for the US racing population.


RESULTS
83 (72%) foals survived. Foals that did not survive were more likely to have extreme tachycardia (heart rate > 100 beats/min), be in respiratory distress, and have severe radiographic abnormalities on thoracic radiographs at the time of initial examination than were foals that survived. Clinicopathologic abnormalities were not associated with whether foals did or did not survive. Forty-five of the 83 surviving foals (54%) eventually raced at least once, but none of the factors examined was associated with whether foals went on to race. Racing performance of foals that raced as adults was not significantly different from that of the US racing population.


CONCLUSIONS
R equi infection in foals is associated with a decreased chance of racing as an adult; however, foals that eventually go on to race perform comparably to the US racing population.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401, USA.
D M
DM
Ainsworth
S W
SW
Eicker
A E
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Yeagar
C R
CR
Sweeney
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L
Viel
D
D
Tesarowski
J P
JP
Lavoie
A
A
Hoffman
M R
MR
Paradis
S M
SM
Reed
H N
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Erb
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Davidow
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Nalevanko
D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006736:Horses; D016015:Logistic Models; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011859:Radiography; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016929:Rhodococcus equi; D012307:Risk Factors; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome