Equine Diseases

where are gastric ulcers formed

the lining of the stomach

gastric ulcer

a break in the lining of the stomach from stomach acid

squamous gastric ulcer (ESGD)

gastric ulcer in the squamous (upper/non-glandular section of stomach)

ESGD causes

• management factors

• increased intra-abdominal pressure from galts faster than a walk

• long-duration training

  • commonly seen in racehorses

• severity of endurance/distance of ride

why don’t wild horses suffer from gastric ulcers

contain a food bolus from continuous eating to help buffer acid from stomach lining

glandular gastric ulcers (EGGD)

occurs in the lower half of the stomach; breaks in the stomach lining

EGGD Causes

breakdown in normal defense mechanisms that protect the stomach lining

gastric ulcer risk factors

• intensity/duration of exercise

• horses trained in urban areas

• lack of contact with other horses

• talk vs. music radio

• lack of pasture turnout

gastric ulcer nutritional risk factors

• lack of forage feeding

• feeding straw alone as forage

• high starch/grain intake

• intermittent access to water

how does alfalfa hay affect the stomach

increases the gastric pH levels and buffers calcium and protein

gastric ulcers clinical signs

• colic after eating

• cinchy/girthy

• poor performance

• behavior change

  • aggression and self mutilation

• poor coat condition

• decreased appetite, poor body condition, weight loss

ESGD Grading

• minimal validity of grading

• differences in appearance/contour

• subjective visual assessment of severity and microscopic appearance correlate poorly

EGGD grading

should NOT be graded

omezaprone (gastric ulcer)

blocks acid production

ranitidine (gastric ulcer)

decreases acid production

sucralfate (gastric ulcer)

coats lining, increases blood flow

gastric ulcer prevention

• nutritional and dietary management

• exercise intensity modifications

• pasture turnout

gastric ulcer diet

• pasture grazing

• high forage intake

  • some alfalfa

• lower concentration diet

  • decrease intragastric fermentation

• smaller, more frequent meals

• constant access to water

strangles

contagious respiratory disease that causes swollen lymph nodes and spreads by nasal shedding

Strangles cliical signs

• fever

  • 3-14 days after exposure

• “snotty” nose

• swelling/abscess formation of submandibular and/or retropharyngeal lymph nodes

• sore throat (pharyngitis)

• lethargy

strangles transmission

spread by nasal shedding

strangles symptoms after recovery

• periodic shedding

• chronic empyema

  • chondroids

• sporadic coughing

what percent of horses develop immunity from strangles

75%

strangles culture diagnosis

• nasal swabs

• nasal washes

• pus from abscesses

strangles PCR diagnosis

• detects bacterial DNA

• does not distinguish between live and dead organisms

• good for asymptomatic carriers detection

• good for screening

strangles blood titer diagnosis

• detects antibody response

• does not differentiate between vaccine and infection response

• peak 5 weeks after exposure and remain high for at least 6 months

when to not give a horse an intramuscular vaccination with strangles

• infected within the last year

• has signs of strangles

• high serum titer

when to give a horse an intranasal vaccination with strangles

if the horse is healthy

when are antibiotics not recommended for a horse with strangles

when the lymph nodes are enlarged, but the horse seems well

when are antibiotics not recommended for a horse with strangles

when the lymph nodes are enlarged, and the horse also has:

• fever

• depression

• no appetite

how does strangles infection spread

through the blood stream or lymphatics

pupura hemorrhagica

vasculitus that results from lack of immune system respnose

vasculitus

inflammation of the blood vessels

clinical relevance of neonatal rib structures

• pulmonary contusion

• hemothroax

• pneumothorax

• diaphragmatic hernia

• hemopericardium

• mycardial laceration

clinical signs of neonatal rib structures

• high heart rate

• high respiratory rate

• pain on palpation

• plaques of subcutaneous edema

• overlying ribs or along ventrum of thorax

diagnosing neonatal rib fractures

• typically more than 1

• audible/palpable clicking

• ultrasound

• within several cm of costochondrial junction

management of neonatal rib fractures

• stall rest: 4 weeks

• analgesia

• antimicrobials

• IF fracture over heart: surgery

Surgical repairs of neonatal rib structures

• plates

• screws

• wires

• cable tires

not required unless implants become infected

neonatal rib structure complications without surgery

without surgery

• fatal myocardial puncture

neonatal rib structure complications with surgery

• infection of implants