Fire and Smoke Inhalation Injury in Horses

Exploring the Evacuation of Dairy Cattle at Night in Collaboration with the Fire Brigade: How to Prepare Openings for Swift Rescue in Case of Barn Fire

Simple Summary

The evacuation of farm animals out of a barn is a rarely considered subject. Especially in case of fire, there is a need for functional emergency exits as well as concepts of rescue for swift evacuation, since both the harmful smoke and the danger of collapsing roofs call for urgency. Field reports of firefighters and affected farmers state that barn animals hesitate to leave their familiar surroundings and rather try to withdraw to their known housing, which they deem as safe. Thus, it is not sufficient to simply open the doors and gates hoping for self-rescue of the animals. As there is a lack of guidelines on the design of emergency exits, we conducted an evacuation exercise of year-round housed dairy cattle, in cooperation with the fire brigade by night, to inspect the animals’ behaviour. We found that preparing the exits according to the sensory perception of cattle, providing familiar surfaces and adequate lighting, and herding cattle correctly result in a speedy rescue, even if the animals were not habituated to leaving the barn before. We hope to set an example for farmers and fire brigades that are in need of instructions, and that more research considering this vital topic will follow.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of successfully rescuing year-round housed cattle in case of a barn fire. Empirical research indicates the reluctance of cattle to leave their familiar barn. Subsequent retreat back to the perceived safety inside, which stands in contrast to the unknown and thus adversary elements outside, for example, the fire brigade, is to be expected. We examined the evacuation of 69 dairy cattle, split into three groups, to an adjacent pasture by night and inspected the animals’ acceptance of two differently designed escape routes and the effect of preceding training. Along with the time needed for evacuating all animals, we measured faecal cortisol metabolites and daily milk yield to assess stress in the animals. Our preliminary assumption was that cattle trained for pasture would have a decisive advantage over untrained cattle. However, adapting the exits to the sensory physiology of the cattle resulted in an extensive impact on the animals’ readiness to leave the familiar housing, as the evacuation of the cattle non-habituated to the exit was comparatively quick and successful. We consider this study instructional for fire brigades and farmers, encouraging them to develop a customised concept for rescuing their cattle in case of an emergency.

Intratracheal oxygen administration increases FIO2 and PaO2 compared with intranasal administration in healthy, standing horses

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of 2 different oxygen delivery strategies-intranasal and tracheal insufflation-on the inspired fraction of oxygen (FIO2) in standing horses and to determine the time needed for arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) equilibration.

ANIMALS

6 healthy adult horses.

PROCEDURES

In this blinded, randomized crossover design study, horses were randomly assigned to receive oxygen via nasal cannula (group N) or transcutaneous tracheal catheter (group T). After placement of venous and arterial catheters, FIO2 was measured through a catheter placed into the distal portion of the trachea. After baseline measurements were obtained, horses received oxygen at up to 25 mL/kg/min for 1 hour via either intranasal or intratracheal catheter. The FIO2 and PaO2 were recorded at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, and 60 minutes during and 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes after oxygen insufflation. Data were analyzed by use of a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey-Kramer post hoc testing for pairwise comparisons (P < 0.05).

RESULTS

During oxygen administration, FIO2 and PaO2 increased significantly when compared with baseline, resulting in significantly higher values for group T (37.7 ± 2.4%; 214.6 ± 18 mm Hg) than for group N (34.3 ± 3.9%; 184.1 ± 11 mm Hg). The equilibration time was less than 10 minutes.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Intratracheal oxygen administration resulted in better oxygenation than nasal insufflation and should therefore be considered in standing horses that are experiencing severe respiratory compromise. The equilibration between FIO2 and PaO2 is rapid in adult horses.

Wildfire smoke impacts activity and energetics of wild Bornean orangutans

Indonesia’s peatlands experience frequent and intense wildfires, producing hazardous smoke with consequences for human health, yet there is a lack of research into adverse effects on wildlife. We evaluated the effects of smoke on the activity and energy balance of Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in a peat swamp forest at the Tuanan Research Station, Central Kalimantan. We collected behavioural data and urine samples from four adult flanged males before, during, and after wildfires between March 2015 and January 2016. During fires, particulate matter (PM₁₀) concentrations were hazardous. Orangutans increased rest time during and after the smoke period, and decreased travel time and distance and increased fat catabolism post-smoke. The increase in post-smoke ketones was not related to changes in caloric intake and was likely due to an increase in energy expenditure, possibly related to immune response. Results show that wildfire smoke negatively affects orangutan condition, and sustained research is needed to assess the magnitude of the threat to the long-term viability of this Critically Endangered species.

Update on interstitial pneumonia

Interstitial pneumonias encompass a wide variety of acute and chronic respiratory diseases and include the specific diseases equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis and acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress. These diseases have been diagnosed in all age groups of horses, and numerous agents have been identified as potential causes of interstitial pneumonia. Despite the varied causes, interstitial pneumonia is uniformly recognized by the severity of respiratory disease and often poor clinical outcome. This article reviews the causal agents that have been associated with the development of interstitial pneumonia in horses. Pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis, and treatment options are discussed.