GI Issues in Adult Horses Flashcards
What food items are most common causes of “choke”?
Hay, pellets, cubes, foreign bodies (apples, potatoes), and medicinal boluses
Where do “choke” obstructions most commonly occur?
Proximal esophagus
What are less common pathological causes of “choke”?
Esophageal diverticulum, intramural esophageal cysts, tumors, abscesses, and strictures
What is the most important thing to do first when treating a “choke” case?
Sedation! It helps lower the horse’s head so that they don’t get aspiration pneumonia
What are clinical signs of choke?
Salivation, distress, extended head, nasal discharge containing feed particles.
(Can progress to lethargy/depression if secondary complications like aspiration pneumonia or esophageal rupture occurs)
What drugs can you use to help relax the esophagus
Buscopan, oxytocin, or lidocane
What are normal TPR values for an adult horse?
Temp: 99.5 - 101.5 F
HR: 28-44bpm
Resp: 10-24
What drugs can be used to sedate a horse?
Xylazine, Detomidine, Butorphanol
What underlying causes do you want to look for in choke cases?
Dental problems
For reoccuring cases - endoscopy of the esophagus
Is it recommended to use antibiotics in cases of choke?
Yes, use abx to prevent/treat aspiration pneumonia because the risk of aspiration pneumonia is high.
In colic cases when should you give enteral fluids?
In most cases except for when there is >2-3L reflux, enteral fluids is a good method of rehydration
What does an abdominal tap with serosanguinous fluid indicate?
Strangulation and likely need for Sx
What does an abdominal tap with cloudy brown/green fluid indicate?
Intestinal rupture - emergency
When do you want to consider leaving a nasogastric tube in place?
When you see more than 5L of reflux upon placing the tube
What are signs of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome? (EGUS)
Anorexia, chronic/intermittant colic, mild colic after eating
How do you diagnose EGUS?
Look at clinical signs and response to treatment, or passage of an endoscope to visualize ulcers
What medication is used to treat gastric ulcers in horses?
Omeprazole is the only approved treatment
What drug is used to control pain for horses with colic?
Flunixin meglamine (Banamine)
What area of the equine GI tract is most likely to get an impaction?
Large ascending colon
What two things are most likely to cause an illeal impaction?
Bermuda grass hay and tapeworms
What are signs of an ileal impaction?
Finding distended small intestine on rectal exam, no reflux unless it has backed up for a long period of time, normal peritoneal fluid depite signs of colic.
What are predisposing factors for cecal impaction?
Broodmares near parturition, horses that have recently undergone anestesia, horses that have recently been sick
How common are illeal impactions?
Fairly common
How do you diagnose a cecal impaction?
Palpating a distended cecum on rectal exam
How do you treat a cecal impaction?
Often surgery is required. if caught early, one can try withdrawing feed, giving enteral laxatives, and IV fluids
How common are cecal impactions?
Rare
Where does a large colon impaction tend to happen?
Pelvic flexure
What predisposes a horse to large colon impaction?
Sudden stall confinement, poor dental health, inadequate water intake (fluid is lost from colon first), ingestion of too much sand
How do you treat a large colon impaction?
Give enteral fluids and electolytes with laxatives and lubricants. Prevent reoccurance by reducing sand intake (feed mats/removing horse from sandy area)
What are signs of a large colon impaction?
Reduced/absent fecal output, reduced gut sounds, mild-moderate pain, variable gas distention of colon
What are signs of a small colon impaction?
Fluid backup into large colon, low volume diarrhea, serosanguinous gritty feces around rectum.
How common are small colon impactions?
Occurs rarely during winter months
How do you treat a small colon impaction?
Use of GI relaxants and pain medication
What are predisposing factors for enteroliths?
Arabian breed horses, injestion of small stones (ends up being a seed agent for enterolith to grow), high protein diet with high Mg
How do you diagnose an enterolith?
Radiographs or ultrasound
Can an enterolith be found on rectal exam?
Usually not
