CHAPTER 36. Gastrointestinal Diseases
Rebecca S. McConnico
OVERVIEW
I. Signalment and history
A. Common occurrences
B. Increased likelihood of certain types of colic based on history and signalment
1. Age
a. Foals
(1) Meconium impaction
(2) Uroabdomen
(3) Enterocolitis (gram-negative septicemia, Clostridium difficile, Rotavirus)
(4) Ileus associated with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
(5) Intestinal incarceration in hernia (umbilical, inguinal)
(6) Congenital defects (atresia ani/coli, colonic aganglionosis)
b. Weanlings: Ascarid impaction or diarrhea
c. Young adults and performance horses: Gastric-colonic ulcers
d. Mature and older horses
(1) Strangulating lipoma
(2) Epiploic foramen entrapment (cribbing may also increase risk)
(3) Neoplasia (except lymphoma, which is more common in younger animals)
2. Sex and reproductive status
a. Stallion (intact male): Inguinal hernia/incarceration in inguinal rings
b. Mare
(1) Pregnant: Uterine torsion
(2) Postpartum
(a) Mesocolon (small colon mesentery) avulsion
(b) Rectal prolapse
(c) Colon torsion
(d) Uterine artery rupture
(e) Retained placenta
(f) Rectovaginal tear
(g) Bruised small colon (traumatic partitution)
3. Breed
a. Arabians
b. Standardbreds and draft breeds (colts, inguinal hernia)
c. Paints (overo x overo foals, colonic aganglionosis)
4. Diet
a. High-grain diets (gastric ulcers)
b. Coastal hay (recent introduction, ileal impaction)
c. Alfalfa hay (long-term use, enteroliths)
5. Environment and geography
a. Florida, sandy pastures (sand colic)
b. California, Texas (enteroliths)
II. General risk factors
A. Change in routine
1. Diet change
2. Reduced water intake
3. Change in exercise schedule
B. Certain types of feed
1. Coastal hay (ileal impaction)
2. Alfalfa hay (enteroliths)
C. Poor dentition (impaction)
D. Inadequate parasite control
E. General anesthesia (cecal impaction)
GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) DYSFUNCTION (COLIC): NUMBER ONE KILLER OF HORSES!
I. Definition
A. Clinical signs associated with abdominal pain
B. Encompasses a wide variety of disease processes
1. Includes GI and extraintestinal causes of pain
2. The gut is the shock organ of the horse
II. Signs of colic
A. Poor appetite or loss of appetite
B. Posturing to urinate, stretching out (“camping out”)
C. Looking at abdomen (“flank-watching”)
D. Kicking at abdomen
E. Pawing
F. Abnormally distended abdomen
G. Getting up and down frequently
H. Rolling
I. Tachycardia
1. Mild increases associated with nonstrangulating large intestinal disease
2. Tachypnea
J. Mucous membrane color
1. Pale with pain, hemorrhage, or vascular compromise-strangulation
2. Injected with toxemia, infection, or other inflammation
K. Abdominal distention
L. GI sounds
1. Vary from hypermotile to absent, depending on disease process
2. Gas ping may be ausculted over cecum
III. Causes
A. Mucosal injury or inflammation
1. Ulceration
2. Infiltration
B. Serosal injury or inflammation
1. Adhesions
2. Peritonitis
IV. GI causes
A. Obstruction
B. Inflammation
1. Inflammatory bowel disease
2. Because mucosa is most metabolically active, enteritis usually has most profound effect on mucosal layer
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
