Equine Enteric Diseases Flashcards

1
Q

What is the most common cause of foal infectious diarrhea?

A

Rotavirus

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2
Q

what is the most common cause of foal non-infectious diarrhea?

A

Foal Heat Diarrhea

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3
Q

What are the top 3 common causes of infectious diarrhea in adult horses?

A

Salmonella enterica
Neorickettsia risticii
Clostridioides difficile

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4
Q

What are the top 3 common causes of non-infectious diarrhea in adult horses?

A

IBD
Toxicities (such as Cantharidin, and NSAIDS)
Grain Overload

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5
Q

What is the timeframe for maximum absorption of maternal antibodies?

A

The first 8 hours of life

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6
Q

What are the main methods of measuring passive transfer utilized in practice?

A

Semi-quantitative immunoassay
Lateral flow/ELISA-type immunoassays
Immunoturbidometric assay

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7
Q

What factors effect FPT

A

Maiden mares, premature lactation, sick mares, dystocia, poor mothering instinct. etc.

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8
Q

Factors affecting foal diarrhea

A

transportation of the mare prior to foaling, lack of sanitation especially in the foaling area and facilitates where the foals are housed for the first 10 days, pre-partum nutrition of the mare. Too much is bad, Post-partum nutrition of the mare: too little is bad, excessive oral medications to the foal

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9
Q

What salmonella is most common

A

Salmonella enterica ss enterica

serovar Typhimurium is the most common (non-host adapted)

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10
Q

How is salmonella transmitted between animals

A

Fecal-oral or fomite transmission - HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS

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11
Q

What are acute clinical signs associated with Salmonella

A

Diarrhea (watery, +/-blood, +/- foul odor, +/- mucous) , Fever, and neutropenia are the most common clinical signs.

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12
Q

What clinical signs are associated with Chronic cases of Salmonella

A

Asymptomatic carriers- many only have a transient fever and/or cow-pie feces following stressful event
Chronic diarrhea- rare cases may develop chronic unresponsive cow-pie feces, weight loss.

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13
Q

How is Salmonellosis diagnosed in horses?

A

A fecal PCR or culture is most common.
One negative fecal on a suspect case is NOT enough!

Repeat Fecal samples (3-5) collected 12-24 hours apart is the gold standard

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14
Q

What treatment methods are suggested for Salmonellosis cases

A

Supportive Care
IV Fluids: Crystalloids (correct dehydration and electrolyte losses, Colloids- replace protein loss
NSAIDS, polymyxin B for endotoxemia
Antibiotics- Typically only used in foals or adults suspected of Septicemia
Laminitis prevention

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15
Q

What control protocols are used on the farm for cases of Salmonella

A

Quarantine all horses returning from shows and other events
Sanitize feeding and cleaning equipment between animals
Vaccination

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16
Q

What are the label claims for the Salmonella vaccination that is approved in the US?

A

Aid in the prevention of endotoxin-mediated disease

NOT labeled for diarrhea

> 6months of age, 2 initial shots with yearly booster
Not included in core or risk-based vaccine recommendations

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17
Q

What is the cause of Potomac Horse Fever

A

Neorickettsia risticii

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18
Q

When is the highest incidence of disease of Potomac Horse Fever

A

late summer/early fall

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19
Q

How is Potomac Horse Fever Transmitted?

A

Ingestion of feed or water contaminated with aquatic insects especially mayflies and caddis flies

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20
Q

What does Potomac Horse Fever infect?

A

Circulating macrophages.

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21
Q

What are Clinical Signs associated with the acute onset of Potomac Horse Fever?

A

Fever, anorexia, depression, injected mucous membranes
Diarrhea 24-72 hours after clinical signs

Initial presentation is the same as salmonellosis

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22
Q

What are clinical signs associated with chronic Potomac Horse Fever

A

Laminitis (up to 30%)

Abortion

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23
Q

What are the cause of death associated with Potomac Horse Fever

A

endotoxemia, laminitis

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24
Q

What methods of diagnosis are associated with Potomac Horse Fever

A

seasonal timing and geography highly suggestive
Often initiate treatment prior to receiving test results
PCR (current ideal)- feces, whole blood, (ideally submit both)

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25
Q

What methods of treatment are utilized in Potomac Horse Fever

A

Supportive care: IV fluids, NSAIDS (for endotoxemia), laminitis prevention

Antibiotics: Oxytetracycline (7-10mg/kg IV, BID), Response to therapy within 1-3 days

26
Q

How soon after intiation of treatment for Potomac Horse Fever should you see a response

A

1-3 days

27
Q

What vaccination protocols are used against Potomac Horse Fever

A

Vaccination is routinely practiced in endemic areas. It is thought to lessen severity and incidence of disease, but vaccinated animals can still develop disease

28
Q

What steps can you take to prevent/control Potomac Horse Fever?

A

Turn off outside lights to discourage insects from being attracted.

Clean buckets and feed areas frquently and keep feed covered

Maintain riparian barriers along bodies of water in hopes that it will encourage aquatic insects to stay home

29
Q

How is Rotavirus transmitted?

A

fecal oral

30
Q

At what age are foals affected by Rotavirus?

A

Most clinical infections in foals <2 months of age

31
Q

What are clinical signs associated with Rotavirus

A

Diarhea- virus destroys small intestinal villi –> malabsorption –> osmotic diarrhea

enterotoxin –> chloride secretion –> secretory diarrhea

32
Q

How is Rotavirus diagnosed?

A

PCR usually part of a diagnostic panel

ELISA is rapid and convenient

33
Q

What treatment methods are utilized in Rotavirus cases

A

Suppportive Care: IV fluids,
NSAIDS for endotoxemia (caution in hypovolemic foals)
+/- broad spectrum antibiotics for suspect septicemia

34
Q

How should Rotavirus be prevented/controlled:

A

Tends to be a problem on larger farms- movement of mares into different facilities can result in exposure of foals to new variants

General sanitation and biosecurity principles- Phenolic disinfectants are best

Vaccination-risk based recommendation

35
Q

How are vacciantions used against Rotavirus infections

A

Risk based

Immunize mares 3x late in EACH gestation: 8,9,and 10 months -> Colostrum
Lessens the severity, foals may develop mild rotaviral diarrhea after the antibody levels decrease (60 days)

36
Q

What is the etiology of Coronavirus?

A

Equine Coronavirus- beta coronavirus

Close relative of bovine coronavirus

37
Q

How is Coronavirus transmitted?

A

Fecal oral transmission, fomites

Shed in feces for up to 21 days

38
Q

What has recently been identified as the primary causative agent of adult diarrhea in horses?

A

Coronavirus

39
Q

What time of year are Coronaviral infections most common

A

more common in the cooler months

40
Q

What clinical signs are associated with Coronavirus?

A

Acute necrotizing enteritis (small>large intestines)

Acute onset: Fever, anorexia, lethargy, Range of enteric signs (soft formed to diarrhea to scant feces to colic)
May present with encephalopathy, often associated with hyperammonemia (<10% of cases)

Leukopenia, neutropenia

41
Q

How is Coronavirus diagnosed?

A

PCR on feces- viral shedding peaks 3-4 days after development of lcinical signs. May test negative if sample is taken at initiation of disease.

42
Q

Treatment associated with Coronavirus

A

High morbidity but lwo mortality

Supportive care only: Fluids & electrolytes, NSAIDS

43
Q

Prevention and Control methods associated with Coronavirus

A

No vaccine available
General sanitation and biosecurity principles
Quarantine all horses
Known positive animals should be isolated for 3 weeks.

44
Q

Clostridial infections associated in equine

A

Clostridium perfringens Type A and C in foals

Clostridioides difficile in foals and adults

45
Q

What is the epidemiology of Clostridial infections?

A

Abnormal colonization of GI tract/overgrowth. Spores can become persistent in the environment. Fecal/oral transmission, fomites

46
Q

clostridial enteritis associated with C. perfringens

A

Hemorrhagic diarrhea with sepsis (Type C worse than A)
Colic, dehydration, shock- may precede onset of diarrhea (sudden death in foals)
can progress to necrotizing colitis and typhlitis

47
Q

Clostridial enteritis associated with C.difficile

A

Diarrhea with sepsis (less likely to contain blood)

Often history of antibiotics or hospitalization

48
Q

You find mucosal and submucosal hemorrhage, necrotizing enteritis, hemorrhage and tan/orange pseudomembrane in a foal. What is your top differential?

A

C. difficile

49
Q

An adult horse has a colon with watery contents, necrosis and thickening of the mucosal folds due to edema fluid. What is your top differential?

A

C. difficile

50
Q

What is the top diagnostic method for Clostridial enteritis?

A

PCR- best test for toxin genes

Culture and genotyping of isolates becoming more common

51
Q

What method of treatment is associated with Clostridial enteritis?

A

Aggressive supportive care (IV fluids and electrolytes, Biosponge [binds toxins])
Antibiotics: Metronidazole

52
Q

What methods of prevention can be taken for Clostridial enteritis in horses

A

General sanitation and biosecurity, particularly in the foaling stalls. Sanitize feeding and cleaning equipment between animals.

53
Q

what is the causative agent in “Proliferative Enteropathy”

A

Lawsonia intracellularis

54
Q

How is Lawsonia intracellularis transmitted?

A

fecal-oral

55
Q

Where in the GI tract does an infection of Lawsonia intracellularis most commonly occur

A

infection of the crypt epithelial cells in the ileum

56
Q

What age animals are most affected by Proliferative enteropathy

A

Foals 3-4 months to 7-9 months of age are most commonly affected

57
Q

Clinical signs associated with Proliferative enteropathy

A

“Poor doer”- rough hair coat, pot bellied appearance, concurrent infections
Erosion and ulceration of intestine may lead to perforation and death

Chemistry: hypoproteinemia, increased CK

58
Q

How is Proliferative enteropathy diagnosed?

A

PCR on feces- quantitative but poor sensitivity due to intermittent shedding
Serology- (IMPA)- highly specific for exposure, but may not correlate to clinical disease, negative early

59
Q

How is Proliferative enteropathy treated?

A

Early treatment is essential!

antibiotics: Macrolides +/- rifampin, tetracyclines, or chloramphenicol administered for 2-3 weeks

often take weeks to months to return to normal protein level and weight gain

NOT reported to spontaneously resolve without treatment

60
Q

How is Proliferative enteropathy prevented in equine?

A

Extra-label use of live oral avirulent swine vaccines given transrectally has been shown to be safe and to decrease clinical disease and shedding

61
Q

How is colibacillosis associated with enteric disease in equine

A

Usually not considered a primary pathogen in foal enteric diseases
Potentially combines with Rotavirus to cause a more serious disease
Joint infections, omphalophlebitis, and septicemia- may account for 25% of neonatal mortality