title: Study of the short- and long-term outcomes of 65 horses with peritonitis.
abstract: The records of 65 horses with peritonitis examined at two UK referral centres over a period of 12 years were reviewed. Peritonitis was defined in terms of the horse's peritoneal fluid containing more than 5 x 10(9) nucleated cells/l. Horses that had developed peritonitis after abdominal surgery or a rupture of the gastrointestinal tract were excluded. Of the 65 horses, 56 (86 per cent) survived to be discharged. Follow-up information was obtained from practice records and telephone calls to the owners for 38 of the horses. Of these, 32 (84 per cent) had survived for at least 12 months and were considered to be long-term survivors; the others six were euthanased within 12 months. Thirteen (34 per cent) of the horses discharged had experienced complications that could have been sequelae to peritonitis and eight of the 13 were euthanased. The cause of the peritonitis was identified in 15 cases; survival rates were lowest in horses with peritonitis secondary to urinary tract involvement or intra-abdominal masses. Of the other 50 cases, 47 (94 per cent) survived to discharge, but two were euthanased owing to recurrent colic.
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Clinical Science, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG.
authors.forename: I S F
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Mair
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: McGorum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents