Gastrointestinal Flashcards
What are the key clinical signs of the chocking horse?
Ptyalism/drooling and hypersalivation
What medical management can assist the chocking horse?
Remove all feed and water
IVFT
NSAIDS/analgesics
Sedation
Oxytocin
What surgical approach can be used for the chocking horse?
Longitudinal esophagectomy with primary closure
What does EOTRH stand for?
Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis
What is a diastema?
Gaps develop between teeth
What are the two types of caries?
Peripheral or infundibular
What are acute causes of diarrhoea in the adult horse?
Salmonella spp.
Clostridium difficile/perfrigens
Coronavirus
Right dorsal colitis
Grain overload
Dietary
What are the clinical signs of acute diarrhoea in the adult horse?
Cow pat to high volume hosepipe D+++
Quiet to depressed
Colic, fever, hypovolaemia
SIRS
Laminitis
Secondary infections
What are the risk factors for acute diarrhoea?
GI disease, immunosuppression, antimicrobials, GA/abdo surgery
Management changes
What are the causes of chronic diarrhoea in the adult horse?
Salmonella spp.
Cyathostomiasis
Right dorsal colitis
Sand enteropathy
Inflammatory bowel disease
Dietary
What are the clinical signs of chronic diarrhoea in the adult horse?
Bright
Ventral oedema
Weight loss
Electrolyte imbalance
What is the most frequently isolated salmonella spp. in horses with large volumes of watery diarrhoea?
Salmonella Typhimurium
What clostridium spp. is associated with antimicrobial colitis?
Clostridium Difficile
What are the most common clostridium spp seen with haemorrhagic D++ in neonates?
Clostridium perfrigens types A and C
What are the risk factors of Cyathostomiasis infestation?
Age, season, period since last anthelmintic, altered host immunity, potentially stress and dietary changes.
What medication administration can lead to right dorsal colitis?
NSAIDs (toxicity)
What is the age range classification of the young horse?
6 weeks to 9 months
What additional differentials are the for acute diarrhoea in the young horse?
Proliferative enteropathy and rhodococcus equi
What clinical signs are seen in proliferative enteropathy along with acute diarrhoea in the young horse?
Severe hypoalbuminemia and weight loss +++
What are the two neonatal age ranges?
0-10 days and 10 days to 6 weeks.
What is the colloquial term for equine dysautonomia?
Grass sickness
What age of horse are typically affected by equine dysautonomia?
2 to 7 years old
What are the risk factors for equine dysautonomia?
Horses on pasture with mechanical dropping removal
Presence of domesticated birds on the field
Stress, higher BCS
Cool, dry weather. Frequent worming.
History of grass sickness
How long do horses with sub-acute equine dysautonomia typically survive?
> 2 days
How long do horses with chronic equine dysautonomia typically survive?
> 7 days
What are the clinical signs of acute equine dysautonomia?
Severe gut paralysis leading to acute colic signs
Difficulty swallowing and drooling
Nasogastric reflux
Mucus coated, hard droppings
Muscle tremors and patchy sweating
Tachycardia
What are the clinical signs of sub-acute equine dysautonomia?
Rapid weight loss
May eat small amounts of food
Mild-moderate colic
What are the clinical signs of chronic equine dysautonomia?
More insidious
Mild or intermittent colic
Reduced appetite
Difficulty eating
Rapid and severe weight loss/emaciation
Some may recover
What are the clinical signs of gastric disease?
Changes in temperament
Poor performance
Resentment of girthing and leg aid
Bucking/rearing under saddle
Weight loss
Colic signs
How do you prepare the horse for a scope?
No food for at least 12 hours
Water removed around 4 hours before
Grazing muzzle on a horse that eats bedding
What are the grades of squamous mucosa ulceration?
0 - epithelium intact and no appearance of hyperkeratosis
1 - Mucosa intact but areas of hyperkeratosis
2 - Small, single or multifocal lesions
3 - Large, single or extensive superficial lesions
4 - Extensive lesions with areas of apparent deep ulceration
What husbandry changes should be made for a horse diagnosed with gastric ulceration?
Feed roughage ad lib especially during the day
Reduce stressful stimuli
Eliminate carbohydrates from the horse’s diet
What is the most common treatment option for gastric ulceration?
Long acting, injectable omeprazole (4mg/kg once a week)
What is the adult appearance of strongyles?
Small and white/red