Intestinal Disease

Question 1

Small intestine disease clinical sign

Answer 1

Weight loss

Question 2

Large intestine disease clinical sign

Answer 2

Diarrhea

Question 3

What are the clinical signs associated with small intestinal disease?

Answer 3

Malabsorption = weight loss, lethargy
Protein loss = edema
Colic
Skin lesions

Question 4

Glucose absorption tests

Answer 4

Small bowel intestinal disease diagnosis

Question 5

How is small intestinal disease definitively diagnosed?

Answer 5

Biopsy and histopathology

Question 6

What are causes of acute large intestinal disease?

Answer 6

Salmonella
Clostridium
Potomac Horse Fever
Equine Coronavirus
Abx Associated Colitis
Peritonitis

Question 7

What are causes of chronic large intestinal disease?

Answer 7

NSAID toxicity
Intestinal parasites
Nutritional causes
Sand induced
Toxin exposure

Question 8

Risk factors for salmonellosis

Answer 8

Age
Stress (shipping, sx, feed change)
GI flora disruption
Hot, humid

Question 9

Salmonella transmission

Answer 9

Birds, insects, rodents
Horizontal: fecal-oral, erogenous, fomites
Vertical: cattle
Persistent in environment

Question 10

How does salmonella present?

Answer 10

Asymptomatic
Febrile
Colitis (ileus, colic, laminitis)
Sepsis (often fatal, foals = joints)
Abortion
Intestinal hyperammonemia

Question 11

What are the 3 potential pathways for hyperammonemia?

Answer 11

1. Failure of the liver to clear ammonia –> hepatic encephalopahty
2. Increased production, overgrowth of ammonia producing bacteria
3. Increased absorption due to altered permeability of GI wall

Question 12

What is the pathogenesis of Salmonellosis?

Answer 12

Question 13

Salmonella postmorten findings

Answer 13

Fibrinosuppurative and necrotizing typholocolitis
Inflammation in colon results in fresh blood in feces

Question 14

Seasonal Patterns: Equine Coronavirus, Salmonella, Potomac

Answer 14

Salmonella: summer
Coronavirus: Oct to April (colder months)
Potomac: summer

Question 15

Clinical signs of equine coronavirus

Answer 15

Anorexia
Lethargy
Fever

Question 16

Potomac Horse Fever

Answer 16

Neorickettsia risticii
Blood monocytes, intestinal macrophages, intestinal glandular cells, mast cells

Question 17

Dx: Potomac Horse Fever

Answer 17

Serology, PCR, response to tx

Question 18

Tx: Potomac Horse Fever

Answer 18

Tetracycline IV

Question 19

Pros of Abx

Answer 19

Neutropenic patient
Risk of sepsis
Clostridial species
Potomac horse fever

Question 20

Cons of Abx

Answer 20

May not alter the course of disease
May interfere with competing GI flora
Toxicity issues

Question 21

How should intestinal disease be monitored?

Answer 21

Renal function
Central oncotic pressure
Hydration
Acid/base
Electrolytes
Laminitis