Colic Flashcards
Types of colic Rectal exam Ulcers & diarrhoea Foal colic Choke Rectal tear grading
List possible caecal colics
Caecal impaction
Caecal intussusception
Caecal tympany
Caecal volvulus
Non-strangulating infarction
Breed and age predilection for caecal impaction colic
Arabians
Appaloosa
> 15 years
(this might be different in hospitalised horses)
Risk factors for caecal impaction colic
- Poor quality, coarse roughage
- Poor dentition
- Parasites: Anaplocephala perfoliata
- Lack of exercise while using NSAID’s (hospital)
Two groups of cecal impactions
Mechanical obstruction - hard ingesta
Motility dysfunction - fluid ingesta with distention
Most likely diagnosis:
Decreased appetite and faecal output. Mild colic signs for days to weeks.
Cecal impaction colic
NOTE: cecal perforation can occur with little to no signs of colic
Rectal examination findings in suspect cecal impaction colic
- Early in the course - tight (could be thickened) ventral band of cecum from right caudo-dorsal to cranio-ventral
- Round cecal base may be palpable in the right caudo-dorsal abdomen
- As it progresses the colon will empy and cecum gets heavier - not able to diagnose the impaction per rectum = abdomenl US
Factors that are important to note when performing an abdominal US on a suspect cecal impaction colic
Thickness of cecal wall
Texture of content
Will differentiate between mechanical obstruction and motility dysfunction
How to differentiate cecum from colon during rectal examination with suspect cecal impaction
If the distended structure is the cecum the examiner will not be able to pass a hand over the impaction dorsally because the cecum is attached to the dorsal body wall
Average thickness of equine cecal wall
18mm (0.18cm)
Average thickness of the equine duodenum
19.5mm (0.195cm)
Average thickness of the equine jejunum
18mm (0.18cm)
Average size of the equine stomach
(transcutaneous abdominal US)
5 intercostal spaces
Differential diagnoses for mild abdominal pain
- Simple / nonstrangulating obstruction of the GI tract
- Feed / sand impaction of large colon
- Enterolithiasis
- Large colon displacement
- Tympany
- Small colon impaction
- Ileal impaction
- Non-strangulatin infarction of the cecum (A. perfoliata)
- Cecocecal / cecocolic intussesception
Medical management of cecal impaction
- Keep off feed
- IV and oral fluids
- Laxatives / cathartics - MgSO4, psyllium
- Analgesics - Flunixin meglumin (1.1mg/kg IV Q12)
- Careful monitoring: repeated physical and rectal exams
Most important complications of cecal impaction colic
Cecal perforation - 25% - 57%
Recurrence - 13% - 29%
Name the 2 types of cecal intussesceptions
Cecocecal intussusception - apex invert into cecal body
Cecocolic intussusception - into the right ventral colon
Breed and age predisposition for cecal intussesception
Young horses: < 3 years
Standardbreds
Risk factors for cecal intussusception
Infectious factors:
- Salmonella - abscessation of cecal wall
- Strongylus vulgaris
- Cyathostomins
- Anaplocephala perfoliata
Dietary changes
Use of organophosphates
Use of parasympathomimetic drugs
Most likely diagnosis:
Mild, intermittent abdominal pain, scant feces, weight loss
Physical examination:
Normal with mild to moderate tachycardia and prolonged CRT
Chronic cecal intussusception
- might alos have a fever
DD’s for a firm viscus in the right dorsal abdomen
- Feed / sand impaction in the large colon
- Right dorsal colon impaction with right dorsal displacement
- Non-strangulating infarction of the cecum
- Cecal impaction
DD’s for change in faecal output and character
- Infectious colitis
- Sand colitis
- Cecal impaction
DD’s for abdominal pain associated with fever
Infectious colitis
Sand colitis
Small colon impaction
Treatment for both forms of cecal intussusception
Surgery
Prognosis is good if resection of compromised cecum is possible
Risk factors for cecal perforation
- Brood mares at parturition
- Cecal impactions
- Infection with Anaplicephala perfoliata
- Use of NSAID’s in hospitalised patients (for non GI problems)
Most likely diagnosis:
Broodmare post parturition showing signs of endotoxic shock (toxic MM’s), muscle fasiculations, tachycardia, tachypnoea, cold extremities, prolonges CRT
Cecal perforation during parturition
Pathophysiology for the following causes of cecal perforation:
- Broodmare postpartum
- NSAID’s
- A. perfoliata infection
(don’t forget cecal impaction)
- Cecal distension cause by altered motility that rutpures due to increased abdominal pressure
- Related to ulceration and masking signs of fluid / motility dysfunction cecal impaction
- Unknown
DD’s for endotoxaemia
Colitis
Typhlitis
Enteritis
Large colon volvulus
Non-strangulatin infarction of large colon and cecum
DD’s for septic peritonitis
Cecal perforation
Gastric rupture
Idiopathic peritonitis
Rectal palpation findings in suspect cecal perforation
Pneumoperitoneum - floating sensation
Roughening of the surfaces of intestines - ingesta and fibrin formation
Crepitus over the cecum - associated with perforation
T/F: There is no nasogastric reflux with cecal perforation
False: Nasogastric reflux may occur due to ileus secondary to endotoxaemia and peritonitis
Most likely blood work results in the case of cecal perforation
Blood work will be consistent with endotoxemic shock
- Haemoconcentration (increased Ht)
- Leukopaenia due to Neutropaenia with a left shift
- Azotaemia
- Increased lactate
Expected findings on abdomintocentesis in a suspect cecal perforation case
Mixed population of intracellular bacteria and plant material
Expected findings of abdominal US in a suspect cecal perforation case
Increased abdominal fluid with a mixed echogenicity with hyperechoic, shadowing gas bubbles
Expected findings on a colic work-up for a suspect cecal perforation
Rectal palpation:
Pneumoperitoneum
Rough surface of intestines - food and fibrin
Nasogastric reflux:
Present due to ileus secondary to endotoxaemia
CBC:
Decreased Ht, leukopaenia (neutropania), Azotaemia, high lactate
Abdominocentesis:
Mixed population of intracellular bacteria
Abdominal US:
Increased abdominal fluid with mixed echogenicity
Treatment options for cecal perforation
None
Humane euthanasia
Causes of cecal tympany
Usualy secondary to large colon obstruction:
- Feed / sand impaction
- Large colon displacement
- Large colon tympany
- Large colon intraluminal obstruction
Causes of cecal volvulus
Congenital abnormalities of cecocolic fold and dorsal body wall attachment - increased movement of caecum
Secondary to large colon volvulus
Explain nonstrangulating infarction of the caecum
Loss of blood supply to the caecum not associated with strangulations
Risk factors of non-strangulating infarction of the equine caecum
High parasite load:
Strongylus vulgaris
Cyathostomin larvae
Etiology and pathophysiology of non-strangulating infarction of the caecum
Strongylus vulgaris - verminous arteritis (mesenteric artery and its branches)
Larval Cyathostomins - multifocal infarctions secondary to infestation with larval cyathostomins
Causes of Gastric dilation
Primary: After consumption of highly fermentable material (grain, grass clippings, apples)
Secondary: Reflux of SI fluid retrograde into the stomach due to SI obstruction / SI dysfunction with proximal duodenitis, jejunitis, post-op ileus
Physical findings:
Tachycardia, tachypnea
Decreased GI sounds
Depressed with colic signs, fever, dehydration
Gastric dilation
Diagnose suspected gastric dilation
US - Stomach is normally 5 intercostal spaces (primary)
(SI hypomotility and distention (secondary))
Nasogastric tube - reflux of 10-20L
When having trouble passing the NGT through the cardia
Administer 20 - 40mL 2% Lidocaine down the NGT - promote cardiac sphincter relaxation
DD’s and possible complications of gastric dilation
DD’s:
Gastric impaction
Complication:
Gastric rupture
Definition of gastric impaction
Distension of the stomach with feed or a phytobezoar or trichobezoar
Which age group is most susceptible to trochobezoar
Foals: Indiscriminate hair ingestion
Risk factors for gastric impaction
Poor quality roughage
Beet pulp, wheat bran
Poor dentition
Dehydration
Concurrent GI disease resulting in generalised poor GI motility
Pyloric outflow obstruction
Actue / Chronic hepatic disease
Expected findings when passing a NGT in a suspect gastric impaction
Difficult to pass the NGT through the cardia - horse shows signs of pain
No significant reflux - feed is hard, dry and fibrous
Stale, fermented smell
Therapeutic goals for gastric impaction
Prevent gastric rupture
Hydrate gastric content to promote gastric emptying
Resolve inciting, concurrent intestinal obstruction (if present)
Risk factors for gastric rutpure
Any mechanical or functional lesion resulting in gastric outflow obstruction:
Gastric dilation / impaction
Gastric outflow obstruction
Grain overload
Gastric ulcerations (adult and foals)
Exepcted findings during a colic workup of a suspect gastric rupture:
Physical exam:
Profuse sweating with tachypnea
Depressed with injected MM’s (purple to grey) with increase CRT
Decreased to absent gut sounds
Rectal palpation:
Serosal surfaces feel “gritty” with pneumoperitoneum
CBC:
Polycythemia due to haemoconcentration
Leukopaenic
Hyperlactatemia >5mmol/L
Abdominal US:
Evaluation of dorsal abdomen obscured due to pneumoperitoneum
Increased free fluid with mixed echogenicity
Abdominocentesis:
Green/brown to haemorrhagic fluid - foul smelling
Racehorses and performance horses in active training are predisposed to which GI related condition
Gastric ulcers
Risk factors for gastric ulcers in horses
High concentrate diet
Stress: Shipping, showing, racing, training
Anorexia
NSAID’s and corticosteroid therapy
GI disease
Conditions associated with gastric ulcers in horses
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD: idiopathic or autoimmune)
Gastric outflow obstruction
Most likely dagnosis:
Inappetence and depressed
Bruxism and hypersalivation
Weight loss
Discomfort when girthing or mounting
Hypersensitive to leg aids
Decreased performance (acute / chronic)
Gastric ulcers
List the mechanisms responsible for protecting the gastric mucosa from the extremely acidic gastric contents in horses
Mucus-Bicarbonate barrier
Gastric mucosal blood flow - Supported by prostaglandins like Prostaglandin E2
Eating, stimulating secretion of alkaline saliva
Absorption of gastric secretions by roughage
Confirmatory test for gastric ulcers
Gastroscopy
Therapeutic goals for gastric ulcers
Eliminate predisposing disease, stress, dietary cause
Increase gastric pH - limit further mucosa damage
Promote mucosal blood flow and support healing