Equine diarrhea Flashcards
Clinical signs of diarrheal illness in adult hroses.
- Depression
- Fever
- Endotoxemia – bright red gums, toxic line
- Hypermotility
- Hypermotile intestinal intestinal sounds
- Tachycardia
- Dehydration
- +/- diarrhea
All in-hospital diarrhea horses should be isolated just in case.
Differential diagnoses for diarrhea in horses. (10)
- Salmonellosis
- Clostridium difficile overgrowth
- Clostridium perfringens A overgrowth
- Cyathostomiasis (larval small strongyles)
- Sand induced
- Antibiotic induced
- Peritonitis
More exotic and rare, but not impossible:
* Equine viral arteritis
* Blister beetle intoxication (Midwest regions of the United States)
* Potomac horse fever (Ehrlichia risticii infection)
Hematology/ Serum Chemistry to check in diarrhea cases. (4)
- Hematology including fibrinogen - paay special attention to the degree of leukopenia, rectal
℃? - T-Prot and Alb: Albumin will leak outmore readily (with less damage) than will globulins.
- Special attention to electrolytes: Na, K, Cl
- Crea
Describe Salmonellosis in horses.
Gram negative facultative anaerobe
- Salmonella typhimurium is the most frequently isolated in adult horses.
- Rare in Scandinavian countries
Clinical signs in mild infection
– Diarrhea
– Anorexia
– Fever
– Leukopenia
- Acute colitis, septicemia in severe infection.
- Asymptomatic carrier forms also occur!
Always suspect what pathogen in acute colitis of adult horses.
Salmonellosis!
Must be isolated.
Describe testing for salmonella in adult horses.
Fecal Testing:
Bacterial culture (gold standard)
* Requires 3–5 consecutive fecal samples (preferably collected on different days) due to intermittent shedding
* Rectal swabs can be used, but sensitivity is lower
* A positive result confirms the diagnosis, but a negative result does not rule it out.
PCR testing
* Faster and more sensitive than culture, but does not distinguish between live and dead bacteria.
* Useful for screening.
What is Cyathostomiasis?
- Small strongyle larval stage encysted in the colon wall.
- Associated with mass emergence of previously hypobiotic larvae from the intestinal wall L4.
- Occurs In late winter and spring.
Sudden weight loss, often with severe diarrhea.
How do you test for What is Cyathostomiasis in adult horses?
Fecal analyses are usually negative. Often, strongyle eggs are not seen on fecal examination.
However, gross observation of L4 or L5 larvae (bright red) in the feces is helpful in making a
diagnosis.
Horses with larval cyathostominosis generally have neutrophilia and hypoalbuminemia.
At necropsy, cyathostomin larvae can be seen as small, gray dots (1–2 mm) in the mucosa.
Tx of cyathostomiasis in horses.
Fenbendazole 10 mg/kg po SID for 5 days
Moxidectin paste po
Supportive therapy:
* IV-fluids
* Oral fluids
Corticosteroids 0,02 – 0,2 mg/kg iv/im SID for 3 days.
Response to treatment is variable and prognosis is guarded even with intensive therapy.
Describe Sand enteropathy in horses.
Has a mechanical effect/ continuous irritation.
Clinical signs are Diarrhea and Colic.
Diagnostics include radiographs cause you can see sand in them if piled up.
Fecal samples for potential Sedimentation.
– Auscultation
– Ultrasound (Bright hyperechoic line)
May not have any abnormalities on CBC or serum chemistry.
TX on sand enteropathy in horses.
Prevent accumulation!
- Psyllium +/- MgSO4 (check rectal temperature!)
- Psylliumin seeds (Eclipse Psyllium) dose 1g/kg/day
- Psyllium seed husk (kuorijauhe) (eQ Psyllium, Racing Psyllium) 0,1– 0,3 g/kg/day
How to prevent sand colics: (4)
Try and prevent sand getting into the horses’ feed.
– Floor mats In the stable and Around feeders.
– Sand Needs to be swept away daily.
– Grazing muzzle
– Psyllium monthly
Tx of sand impaction. (3)
- Enteral fluids – usually more than usual maintenance of 65 ml/kg/day
- Analgesia
- Laxatives
IVFT maintenance rate in horses
65 ml/kg/day
Describe Equine coronavirus.
ECoV is a gastrointestinal virus that primarily affects adult horses.
- Transmitted fecal-orally (contaminated feces, feed, water, surfaces)
Signs typically appear after 48–72 hours of incubation:
* Fever
* Anorexia
* Soft feces or diarrhea (not always present)
* colic-like signs
Most horses recover in 5–7 days with supportive care.
will have Leukopenia (neutropenia and/or lymphopenia) & Mild hypoalbuminemia in some cases
What “special” tests does equine IBD require for diagnosis? (in comparison to smallies) (2)
IBD - Inflammatory bowel disease
- Glucose absorption test
- Rectal biopsy
Mainstays of tx of equine diarrhea. (5)
- Fluids and supportive care
- Treating endotoxemia
- Antibiotics if indicated
- Probiotics
- Targeted therapy depending on cause.
