Skip to main content
Download PDF
  • Published:

Acute Post-Treatment Enterocolitis in 13 Horses Treated in a Norwegian Surgical Ward

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 37, pages 203–211 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Case histories, results of laboratory analyses, treatment regimens and outcome are de-scribed for 13 horses that developed acute enterocolitis after various surgical treatments. Twelve of the 13 horses had been cast in lateral recumbency, and 10 of those 12 had re-ceived general anesthesia. Eleven horses had been treated with antimicrobial drugs. Most horses (11) developed diarrhea 2 days after initiation of treatment, with a variation from 1 to 5 days. The most apparent symptoms were fever, up to 40.5°C, elevated heart rate, discoloration of mucous membranes, and diarrhea. Dehydration, acidosis and leu-kopenia were marked at the time clinical signs occurred. Packed cell volume and total serum protein values were elevated. Therapy was directed toward replacement of fluid losses, restoration of acid-base balance, and counteraction of inflammation. Seven horses (54%) died or were euthanized. At necropsy, pathological changes showed large variations between individuals. Salmonella spp. were not isolated from any of the horses, and no common causative agent was identified. Preventive efforts to avoid post-treatment enterocolitis have been taken with regard to preoperative routines, premedic-ation and anesthesia, with apparent success.

References

  • Anonymous: Animal health standards in Norway. The Royal Ministry of Agriculture, Oslo, Norway. 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous: The animal health and disease control situation in Norway. The Royal Ministry of Agri-culture, Oslo, Norway. 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argenzio RA: Physiology of diarrhea - large intes-tine. J. Amer. vet. med. Assoc. 1978, 173, 667–672.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker JR, Leyland A: Diarrhoea in the horse asso-ciated with stress and tetracycline therapy. Vet. Ree. 1973, 93, 583–584.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bertone JJ: Hypertonic saline in management of shock in horses. Proc. on Symp. New Perspec-tives on Equine Colic. Athens, GA: University of Georgia. 1991.

  • BreukinkHJ: Oral mono- and disaccharide tolerance tests in ponies. Amer. J. vet. Res. 1974, 35, 1523–1527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins LG, Tyler DE: Phenylbutazone toxicosis in the horse: a clinical study. J. Amer. vet. med. As-soc. 1984, 184, 699–703.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook WR: Diarrhoea in the horse associated with stress and tetracycline therapy. Vet. Ree. 1973, 93, 15–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cordes DO, Perry BD, Rikihisa Y, Chickering WR: Enterocolitis caused by Ehrlichia sp. in the horse (Potomac horse fever). Vet. Pathol. 1986, 23, 471–477.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dick IGC, White SK: Possible potentiated sulphona-mide-associated fatality in an anaesthetised horse. Vet. Ree. 1987, 121, 288.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • England GCW, Clarke KW, Goossens L: A compari-son of the sedative effects of three α2-adrenocep-tor agonists (romifidine, detomidine and xyla-zine) in the horse. J. Vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 1992, 15, 194–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fessier JF, Bottoms GD, Coppoc GL, Gimare S, Latshaw HS, Noble JK: Plasma endotoxin concentrations in experimental and clinical equine subjects. Equine Vet. J. 1989, suppl. 7, 24–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hermann M: Kolitis X beim Pferd: 9 fälle. (Colitis X in the horse: 9 cases.) Schweiz. Arch. Tierheilk. 1985, 127, 385–396.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaksch W: Enteritis. In: Wintzer H-J (ed.). Krankhe-iten des Pferdes. (Diseases in Horses). Berlin: Parey, 1982, 145–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapperud G, Lassen J, Aasen S, Hasseltvedt V: Glo-bal spredning av Salmonella - økt smittepress i Norge. (Global increase in Salmonella - intersec-torial actions required to maintain Norway’s fa-vourable status.) Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. 1994, 114, 2125–2129.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • King JN, Gerring EL: Detection of endotoxin in cases of equine colic. Vet. Ree. 1988, 123, 269–271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kraft W: Hämorrhagische Enteritiden beim Pferd. Colitis X und Duodenojejunitis. (Hemorrhagic enteritis in the horse. Colitis X and duodenojeju-nitis.) Beri. Münch. Tierärztl. Wschr. 1985, 98, 332–339.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen J: Undersokelser over vaeskebalanse, syre-baseog elektrolyttforstyrrelser samt blodgasser hos hest. (Studies on fluid balance, acid-base and electrolyte disturbances, and blood gas measure-ments in the horse.) Oslo: Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer H: Einfluss der Ernährung auf die Entstehung von Koliken (Verdauungsstörungen) beim Pferd. (Influence of nutrition on the pathogenesis of col-ics in horses.) Tierärztl. Prax. 1991, 19, 515–520.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers K, Reed S, Keck M, Clem M, Bayly W: Circu-lating endotoxin-like substance(s) and altered he-mostasis in horses with gastrointestinal disor-ders: An interim report. Amer. J. vet. res. 1982, 43, 2233–2238.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murray MJ: Digestive physiology of the large intes-tine in adult horses. Part II. Pathophysiology of colitis. Comp. Contin. Educ. Pract. Vet. 1988, 10, 1309–1316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray MJ: Therapeutic procedures for horses with colitis. Vet. Med. 1990, 85, 510–518.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray MJ: Acute colitis. In: Robinson NE, ed.. Cur-rent therapy in equine medicine - 3. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1992,244–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen K, Vibe-Petersen G: Entero-colitis hos hest. En beskrivelse af 46 tilfaelde. (Entero-colitis in the horse. A description of 46 cases.) Nord. Vet. Med. 1979, 31, 376–381.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owen RapR: Post stress diarrhoea in the horse. Vet. Ree. 1975, 96, 267–270.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer JE: Diarrhea. In: Anderson NV (ed.): Veteri-nary gastroenterology, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1992, 634–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radostits OM, Blood DC, Gay CC: Veterinary Med-icine, ed. 8. London: Baillière Tindall, 1994,217–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rooney JR, Bryans JT, Prickett ME, Zent W:. Ex-haustion shock in the horse. Cornell Vet. 1966, 56, 220–235.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rooney JR, Bryans JT, Doll ER: Colitis “X” of horses. J. Amer. vet. med. Assoc. 1963, 142, 510–511.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staempfli HR, Townsend HGG, Prescott JF: Prog-nostic features and clinical presentation of acute idiopathic enterocolitis in horses. Can. vet. J. 1991, 32, 232–237.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor PM, Rest RJ, Duckham TN, Wood EJP: Pos-sible potentiated sulphonamide and detomidine interactions. Vet. Ree. 1988, 122, 143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verter W, Wedeil H: Zur Bedeutung und Diagnostik der hämorrhagischen Enterocolitis (Colitis X) des Pferdes. Beobachtungen am Patientengut einer Klinik. (Importance and diagnosis of haem-orrhagic enterocolitis (Colitis X) of horses - find-ings recorded from clinical cases.) Monatsh. Veterinärmed. 1991, 46, 601–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitlock RH: Colitis: differential diagnosis and treatment. Equine vet. J. 1986, 18, 278–283.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wierup M: Equine intestinal clostridiosis. An acute disease in horses associated with high intestinal counts of Clostridium perfringens type A. Acta vet. scand. 1977, suppl 62. 50-69, 127–161.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033, Oslo, Norway

    J. Larsen & N.I. Dolvik

  2. Department of Morphology, Genetics and Aquatic Biology, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway

    J. Teige jr.

Authors
  1. J. Larsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N.I. Dolvik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Teige jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Larsen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Larsen, J., Dolvik, N. & Teige, J. Acute Post-Treatment Enterocolitis in 13 Horses Treated in a Norwegian Surgical Ward. Acta Vet Scand 37, 203–211 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548112

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548112

Keywords

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147