Diseases of Equine GI System

Question 1

Enamel Points

Answer 1

• Develop because mandible is narrower than maxilla
• Upper = buccal side; called hooks
• Lower = lingual side; called ramps
• Form oral mucosal ulcerations

Question 2

Equine Dentistry

Answer 2

• Perform oral exam at least 1x/year; recommend 2x/year
• Float teeth starting at 3-4 years; sometimes 2 years of age

Question 3

Wolf Teeth

Answer 3

• PM1
• Mainly on maxilla
• Rare on mandible
• Not present in many horses
• Remove under sedation

Question 4

Choke

Answer 4

Occurs at any location in the esophagus (obstruction)
* poor dentition
* lack of water intake
* overcrowding; needing to eat fast
* type of feed
* behavior - bolt eating

Question 5

Choke
Clinical Signs

Answer 5

• Colic
• Excessive drooling / foaming
• Feed material coming out of nose
• Coughing
• Anxiety
• Neck extending

Question 6

Choke
Treatment

Answer 6

• Remove hay and water
• Sedate to calm and relax throat muscles
• Pass NG tube
• Break up food bolus with water
• Push food bolus into stomach

Question 7

Choke
Complications

Answer 7

• Aspiration pneumonia most significant
• Stricture not as common

Question 8

Gastric Ulcers

Answer 8

Form with decreased forage intake to counter stomach acid
* young horses prone
* common in performance horses

Question 9

Gastric Ulcers
Location

Answer 9

Margo Plicatus
* junction between the glandular and non-glandular part of stomach

Question 10

Colic

Answer 10

Any condition that causes pain
* distention of gut
* torsion / tumor
* ischemia (blood flow restriction)
* enteritis or ulcers

Question 11

Colic
Clinical Signs

Answer 11

• Pawing at ground
• Rolling
• Frequently laying down and getting up
• Positioning to urinate
• Anorexia / Decreased eating
• Flehmen response

Question 12

Colic
Flehmen Response

Answer 12

Curling of lip

Question 13

Borborygmi

Answer 13

Large intestinal motility sounds

Question 14

Colic
Prevention

Answer 14

• Have a set daily routine
• Feed high quality roughage
• Avoid excessive grain or energy dense supplements
• Smaller, frequent meals
• Plenty of fresh water
• If horse is hot, small sips of lukewarm water

Question 15

Enteritis

Answer 15

Clinical signs involve abdominal pain
* Inflammation
* Bacterial (Salmonella)
* Ileus

Question 16

Enteritis
in Ileus

Answer 16

• No GI motility
• Back up of fluid / gas
• Stomach overfills with fluid
• Pain and possible rupture
• Horses unable to vomit

Question 17

Enteritis
Diagnosis / Treatment

Answer 17

Diagnose with
* U/S
* distended small intestine
* large amounts of reflux noted when tube passed

Treat medically with supportive care and removal of fluid via tube

Question 18

Strangulating Lipoma

Answer 18

• Must differentiate from enteritis
• Emergency situation
• Most common in older horses and Arabians
• Lipoma fatty tumor
• Signs of colic

Question 19

Enterolith

Answer 19

Large intestinal disease
* rock of mineral present
* seen with horses around sandy soils

Question 20

Sand Impactions
Locations

Answer 20

• Ventral colon
• Pelvic flexure
• Transverse colon

Question 21

Strongyles

Answer 21

Major pathogenic parasites in adult horses
* small ones often seen
* larva encysted in intestinal wall
* swollen blood vessels and hemorrhagic nodules

Question 22

Ascarids

Answer 22

Major pathogenic parasite seen in foals and weanling
* causes worm impactions that can lead to intestinal rupture and death

Question 23

Fecal Egg Count

Answer 23

• Best practice; use with strategic worming
• Used to detect resistance of parasites in horses
• Use horses with highest possible pre-treatment egg count
• No treatment for 8-12 weeks before doing count