This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Jean,
You must have missed Steve's post, where he said it sounded like Enteritis
or colitis, an infection of the intestine, much like appendicitis in
humans. Very hard to treat. I looked it up on the Horseman's Adviser and
it certainly sounds like it.
" Anterior Enteritis in Horses
by Robert N. Oglesby, DVM
Anterior Enteritis use to be a common inflammatory disease of the
small bowel. In the 1990's the incidence seems to be declining.
Clostridium perfringens is suspected of causing this problem but
we are not 100% sure of the cause. There is no way to positively
diagnose this disease without surgery, but the clinical signs are
characteristic though not absolutely specific for this disease.
Symptoms
Acute colic, fever, depression, and darkened mucous membranes
are always seen. The colic is characterized by high heart rates,
decreased to absent bowel sounds, distended small bowel and
perhaps most characteristic of all is a yellow-reddish foul
smelling nasogastric reflux when tubed. The reflux can be a gallon
or more and frequently when taken off the stomach the colic
improves. Finding this characteristic reflux helps differentiate this
disease from a small bowel twist or obstruction.
Treatment
Relieving the build up of fluid in the stomach, aggressive IV
fluids, and Banamine are frequently successful in treating this
disease. The stomach may need siphoning every 2 to 3 hours for 3
to 14 days. Banamine can be given at a reduced dosage of 0.25
mg/kg four times daily. Initially antibiotics are used with
penicillin most likely to help if it is a clostridia. An
aminoglycoside (gentamycin) may also be included. The horse
may need around the clock treatment for a week or more, before
significant improvement occurs. No feed is given until the gastric
filling stops. Prophylactic treatment for founder should be
instituted consisting of Banamine treatments, sole support, and the
aggressive fluid therapy probably helps too."
Anterior Enteritis added
comment posted by Clif Wistner
"Sterling's attack was very sudden and he
was put down within 17
hours of initial onset because of his
rapidly deteriorating
condition, and the poor prognosis of
complete recovery, whether
by surgery or aggresive pain and IV
management."
In Reply to: Re: Anterior Enteritis added
comment posted by Clif Wistner on
January 28, 1997 at 17:03:41:
Hello Clif,
My sincere condolences, about your
horse. Realize it can be very difficult to
distinguish AE from strangulation of the
upper small bowel and many horses have
not fit the profile well enough to give a
diagnosis. Concerning the comments
about frequency I found a fascinating
statement on page 340 of Kobluk's The
Horse: Diseases and Clinical
Management. Dr. Kraus-Hansen states
"this disease was widely recognized in
the 1980's but appears to have
diminished in frequency and is currently
more often seen in a milder form". The
last AE I saw was several years ago but
when I was a student (early eighties)
they were frequent. Of course Uni of Ga
was cranking up its Bolshoi Colic
Research program and we received
many colic referrals.
To get back to the differential diagnosis,
generally, an AE will improve with
gastric decompression (nasogastric tube
and syphoning out the fluid) and
aggresive IV fluid therapy, while
strangulation will not. The only way to
positively diagnose AE is with
exploratory surgery and then the
prognosis worsens. There are other
recommendations in the article but I will
emphasize again color and odor are
somewhat characteristic.
If your horse did not improve following
decompression and IV therapy then take
comfort that your horse was not allowed
to agonise with a disease that can be
terminal under excellent management.
Those that do recover sometimes have
serious, painful, complications.
The Advisor Vet, RN Oglesy DVM
This is probably more than anybody really wanted to know, but perhaps it
answers your questions?
Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska
>So these recent deaths sound strange to me, the length of time would not
>give the intestine time to die and the horse go into shock. Plus mine would
>not eat or drink once the twist took place.
>
>These sound like something very potent and quick occurred. Steve?
************************************************************
Jean Ernest
Fairbanks, Alaska
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
