Enterocolitis in horses is an inflammatory condition affecting the small intestine and colon, often resulting from various infectious, toxic, or idiopathic causes. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and colic, and can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The etiology of enterocolitis in horses can include bacterial infections like Salmonella and Clostridium difficile, as well as non-infectious factors such as dietary changes or stress. Diagnosis typically involves clinical examination, laboratory testing, and sometimes imaging. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles focused on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of enterocolitis in equine patients.
Trápaga MR, Poester VR, Mousquer MA, de Souza RP, Rafael LA, Bonel J, Melo AM, Reis AG, de Faria RO, Stevens DA, Nogueira CEW, Xavier MO.Aspergillosis is an uncommon disease in horses, but it can be fatal. We report two cases of systemic aspergillosis in foals that occurred in a short period in the same region of southern Brazil. In addition, a literature review of similar cases was also performed. Risk factors were attributed to an immunodepression by primary enterocolitis and corticosteroid treatment, the damage in the epithelium, and multiple antibacterial treatments, which allowed local fungal proliferation, tissue invasion and spread of infection, leading to death. Since the antemortem diagnosis of aspergillosis in foals i...
Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Asin J, Henderson EE.The clostridial diseases of horses can be divided into three major groups: enteric/enterotoxic, histotoxic, and neurotoxic. The main enteric/enterotoxic diseases include those produced by Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridioides difficile, both of which are characterized by enterocolitis. The main histotoxic diseases are gas gangrene, Tyzzer disease, and infectious necrotic hepatitis. Gas gangrene is produced by one or more of the following microorganisms: C. perfringens type A, Clostridium septicum, Paeniclostridium sordellii, and Clostridium novyi type A, and it is characterized by ...
Uzal FA, Arroyo LG, Navarro MA, Gomez DE, Asín J, Henderson E.Enteritis, colitis, and enterocolitis are considered some of the most common causes of disease and death in horses. Determining the etiology of these conditions is challenging, among other reasons because different causes produce similar clinical signs and lesions, and also because some agents of colitis can be present in the intestine of normal animals. We review here the main bacterial and viral causes of enterocolitis of horses, including Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens type A NetF-positive, C. perfringens type C, Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium piliforme, Paeniclostridium so...
El-Deeb W, Fayez M, Elsohaby I, Mkrtchyan HV, Alhaider A.Clostridium difficile (CD) is considered a major health care problem both in developing and developed countries; frequently reported to be associated with enterocolitis and diarrhea in horses and other animals. In this study, we examined acute phase response (APR), cytokines response, neopterin (NP) procalcitonin (PCT) production and oxidative stress condition in horses and foals with C. difficile-induced enterocolitis (CDIE) and evaluated the effectiveness of these parameters as biomarkers for the disease. A total of 407 Arabian horses in 35 stables were examined between January 2017 to Decem...
Kopper JJ, Kogan CJ, Cook VL, Schott HC.The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an association between type of colloid administered and survival of horses with enterocolitis (N = 92). A retrospective review of medical records of horses with enterocolitis treated with plasma or hetastarch (HES) between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011 was performed. Data collected included signalment, outcome, physical and clinicopathologic findings, and volume and type of colloid administered. Sixty-nine horses (75%) were treated with plasma and 23 horses (25%) were treated with HES. After accounting for confounding varia...
Collins NM, Axon JE, Carrick JB, Russell CM, Palmer JE.To evaluate severe hyponatraemia in foals presenting as medical emergencies to an intensive care unit (ICU) in order to determine the prevalence, clinical findings, primary diagnosis and outcome. Methods: Retrospective case study of records from Thoroughbred foals aged less than 3 months presenting to an ICU as medical emergencies in 2002-12; foals with severe hyponatraemia (serum sodium <122 mmol/L) on admission laboratory data were identified. Data retrieved included signalment, clinical findings, laboratory results, primary diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Results: Severe hyponatraemia w...
Sarradell JE, Alvarez J, Biscia M, Zumarraga M, Wunschmann A, Armien AG, Perez AM.A 2-year-old dappled Percheron horse had a wasting condition that did not respond to antibiotic treatments and ultimately resulted in death. Thickening of the wall of the large colon and enlargement of the mesenteric lymph nodes were observed at postmortem examination, along with the presence of pinpoint whitish foci in the liver. Microscopic examination of affected tissues revealed diffuse chronic granulomatous enterocolitis, granulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis, and multifocal granulomatous hepatitis. The DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded intestinal and lymph node samples was analyzed u...
Mallicote M, House AM, Sanchez LC.Diarrhoea is among the most common clinical complaints in foals. Aetiologies, diagnostic testing and recommended interventions for specific causes of enterocolitis are summarised. Many mild to moderately affected foals can be managed in an ambulatory setting, while others will benefit from more intensive care at a referral centre.
Uzal FA, Diab SS, Blanchard P, Moore J, Anthenill L, Shahriar F, Garcia JP, Songer JG.Clostridium perfringens type C is one of the most important agents of enteric disease in newborn foals. Clostridium difficile is now recognized as an important cause of enterocolitis in horses of all ages. While infections by C. perfringens type C or C. difficile are frequently seen, we are not aware of any report describing combined infection by these two microorganisms in foals. We present here five cases of foal enterocolitis associated with C. difficile and C. perfringens type C infection. Five foals between one and seven days of age were submitted for necropsy examination to the Californi...
Diab SS, Kinde H, Moore J, Shahriar MF, Odani J, Anthenill L, Songer G, Uzal FA.Clostridium perfringens type C is an important cause of enteritis and enterocolitis in foals and occasionally in adult horses. The disease is a classic enterotoxemia, and the enteric lesions and systemic effects are caused primarily by beta toxin, 1 of 2 major toxins produced by C. perfringens type C. Until now, only sporadic cases of C. perfringens type C equine enterotoxemia have been reported. We present a comprehensive description of the lesions in 8 confirmed cases of type C enterotoxemia in foals and adult horses. Grossly, multifocal to segmental hemorrhage and thickening of the intestin...
Neil KM, Charman RE, Vasey JR.Three foals aged between 21 and 44 days were presented for evaluation of pyrexia and lameness. Each had subcutaneous abscessation associated with osteomyelitis of a rib at the costochondral junction and pathological fracture of the affected rib; one foal had more than one rib affected. Other localised sites of infection included other sites of osteomyelitis, omphalophlebitis, uveitis, enterocolitis, and calcaneal bursitis. The subcutaneous abscessation and rib osteomyelitis was treated surgically in two foals. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the subcutaneous abscess in one foal and fr...
Doyle AJ, Freeman DE, Rapp H, Murrell JA, Wilkins PA.To report our experience with horses that presumptively had severe intraluminal hemorrhage from enterotomy or anastomosis. Methods: Clinical study. Methods: Six adult horses and 1 adult donkey. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Illinois (April 1994 to December 2001) to determine the clinical course and outcome of horses with melena and/or anemia and evidence of life-threatening hemorrhage from intestinal incisions. Medical records of all horses that had colic surgery were reviewed to determine the proportion of horses with this complication. In addition, horses ...
Ramaswamy CM, Eades SC, Venugopal CS, Hosgood GL, Garza F, Barker SA, Moore RM.To compare plasma endothelin (ET)- like immunoreactivity between healthy horses and those with naturally acquired gastrointestinal tract disorders. Methods: 29 healthy horses and 142 horses with gastrointestinal tract disorders. Methods: Blood samples were collected from healthy horses and from horses with gastrointestinal tract disorders prior to treatment. Magnitude and duration of abnormal clinical signs were recorded, and clinical variables were assessed via thorough physical examinations. Plasma concentrations of ET-like immunoreactivity were measured by use of a radioimmunoassay for huma...
Toribio RE, Kohn CW, Chew DJ, Sams RA, Rosol TJ.To evaluate calcium balance and parathyroid gland function in healthy horses and horses with enterocolitis and compare results of an immunochemiluminometric assay (ICMA) with those of an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for determination of serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations in horses. Methods: 64 horses with enterocolitis and 62 healthy horses. Methods: Blood and urine samples were collected for determination of serum total calcium, ionized calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+), phosphorus, BUN, total protein, creatinine, albumin, and PTH concentrations, venous blood gases, and...
Weese JS, Staempfli HR, Prescott JF.Although Clostridium difficile is recognized as a cause of enterocolitis in horses and humans, there has been little work published regarding the lability of C. difficile and its toxins in feces. A significant decrease in recovery of C. difficile from inoculated equine fecal samples occurred during storage. Recovery after storage in air at 4 degrees C decreased from 76% (37/49) after 24 hours to 67% (33/49) at 48 hours and 29% (14/ 49) after 72 hours. In contrast to aerobic storage, 25 of 26 samples stored anaerobically at 4 degrees C yielded growth of C. difficile for 30 days, whereas the org...
East LM, Dargatz DA, Traub-Dargatz JL, Savage CJ.Enterocolitis associated with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) infection in neonatal foals is often severe and has been associated with a high case-mortality risk. We designed a premises-based survey to evaluate the associations of regional foaling practices, premises environmental management, periparturient foal and brood-mare management, and periparturient brood-mare ration with the occurrence of neonatal enterocolitis attributed to C. perfringens infection. Potential risk factors individually associated with enterocolitis were breed type, housing type at foaling and in the first thr...
East LM, Savage CJ, Traub-Dargatz JL, Dickinson CE, Ellis RP.To identify clinical signs, physical examination findings, results of diagnostic tests, treatments administered, and clinical outcome of neonatal foals with enterocolitis associated with Clostridium perfringens infection. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 54 neonatal foals. Results: Most foals had acute onset of obtunded mentation, colic, or diarrhea and developed leukopenia, neutropenia, an abnormally high number of band neutrophils, toxic WBC, and hypoproteinemia within 24 hours after admission, despite high serum IgG concentrations (> 800 mg/dl). Abdominocentesis and abdominal radiogra...
Guglick MA, MacAllister CG, Ewing PJ, Confer AW.A 12-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was admitted to the veterinary medical teaching hospital with a 2-day history of signs of abdominal pain. Initial findings on physical examination included signs of lethargy, dehydration, diarrhea, and gastric reflux. Results of laboratory testing indicated that the horse had panleukopenia with neutrophilic toxic changes, was dehydrated, and was hypocalcemic. During the first 48 hours of hospitalization, 1 abdominal palpation per rectum and 3 analyses of peritoneal fluid were performed; abnormalities were not detected. A preliminary diagnosis of enterocoliti...
Mogg TD, Palmer JE.The medical records of 23 American Miniature Horses with hyperlipidemia, hyperlipemia, or hepatic lipidosis were reviewed. The most common clinical signs were anorexia and lethargy. The mean duration of clinical signs was 2.4 days. A primary disease was identified in 19 cases. Enterocolitis was the most common primary disease (n = 10). Intentional feed restriction, as part of treatment for colic, resulted in hyperlipemia in 2 horses and hyperlipidemia in 1. Four horses had primary hyperlipemia, 3 of which had signs of hepatoencephalopathy secondary to hepatic lipidosis. Dextrose, heparin, and ...
Traub-Dargatz JL, Jones RL.A review of the literature describing clostridia-associated enterocolitis is presented. The bacteria, their toxins, and possible factors that interact to contribute to the pathogenesis of enterocolitis are described. Clinical signs associated with clostridia-associated enterocolitis, methods of diagnosis, treatments, and preventive strategies are discussed.
Slocombe RF, Slauson DO.Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was identified in 19 horses. In 16 cases mycotic lesions were associated with enterocolitis; 14 cases appeared to result from Salmonella infection. Pulmonary lesions included multifocal areas of acute necrosis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and thrombosis with fibrinosuppurative inflammation surrounding mycelial masses. Thromboemboli with fungi were in the brain and kidneys of three cases. Factors which appeared to predispose to pulmonary aspergillosis included corticosteroid therapy, disseminated neoplasms, hepatitis, pleuritis, and peritonitis. This study sugg...
Zink MC, Yager JA, Smart NL.Of 131 cases of Corynebacterium equi infection in horses submitted for necropsy to the Ontario Veterinary College or Veterinary Laboratory Services, OMAF, Guelph, Ontario from 1958 to 1984, 115 were diagnosed as suppurative pneumonia, and of these 55 had associated ulcerative enterocolitis. Only five animals had intestinal involvement without pulmonary lesions. The remaining 11 cases included arthritis/cellulitis, skin abscesses and submandibular lymphadenitis. While the lung, intestine and associated lymph nodes yielded C. equi most frequently, in 21% of cases C. equi was also cultured from p...
Diab SS, Kinde H, Moore J, Shahriar MF, Odani J, Anthenill L, Songer G, Uzal FA.Clostridium perfringens type C is an important cause of enteritis and enterocolitis in foals and occasionally in adult horses. The disease is a classic enterotoxemia, and the enteric lesions and systemic effects are caused primarily by beta toxin, 1 of 2 major toxins produced by C. perfringens type C. Until now, only sporadic cases of C. perfringens type C equine enterotoxemia have been reported. We present a comprehensive description of the lesions in 8 confirmed cases of type C enterotoxemia in foals and adult horses. Grossly, multifocal to segmental hemorrhage and thickening of the intestin...
Uzal FA, Arroyo LG, Navarro MA, Gomez DE, Asín J, Henderson E.Enteritis, colitis, and enterocolitis are considered some of the most common causes of disease and death in horses. Determining the etiology of these conditions is challenging, among other reasons because different causes produce similar clinical signs and lesions, and also because some agents of colitis can be present in the intestine of normal animals. We review here the main bacterial and viral causes of enterocolitis of horses, including Salmonella spp., Clostridium perfringens type A NetF-positive, C. perfringens type C, Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium piliforme, Paeniclostridium so...
Weese JS, Staempfli HR, Prescott JF.Although Clostridium difficile is recognized as a cause of enterocolitis in horses and humans, there has been little work published regarding the lability of C. difficile and its toxins in feces. A significant decrease in recovery of C. difficile from inoculated equine fecal samples occurred during storage. Recovery after storage in air at 4 degrees C decreased from 76% (37/49) after 24 hours to 67% (33/49) at 48 hours and 29% (14/ 49) after 72 hours. In contrast to aerobic storage, 25 of 26 samples stored anaerobically at 4 degrees C yielded growth of C. difficile for 30 days, whereas the org...
Zink MC, Yager JA, Smart NL.Of 131 cases of Corynebacterium equi infection in horses submitted for necropsy to the Ontario Veterinary College or Veterinary Laboratory Services, OMAF, Guelph, Ontario from 1958 to 1984, 115 were diagnosed as suppurative pneumonia, and of these 55 had associated ulcerative enterocolitis. Only five animals had intestinal involvement without pulmonary lesions. The remaining 11 cases included arthritis/cellulitis, skin abscesses and submandibular lymphadenitis. While the lung, intestine and associated lymph nodes yielded C. equi most frequently, in 21% of cases C. equi was also cultured from p...
Traub-Dargatz JL, Jones RL.A review of the literature describing clostridia-associated enterocolitis is presented. The bacteria, their toxins, and possible factors that interact to contribute to the pathogenesis of enterocolitis are described. Clinical signs associated with clostridia-associated enterocolitis, methods of diagnosis, treatments, and preventive strategies are discussed.
Mallicote M, House AM, Sanchez LC.Diarrhoea is among the most common clinical complaints in foals. Aetiologies, diagnostic testing and recommended interventions for specific causes of enterocolitis are summarised. Many mild to moderately affected foals can be managed in an ambulatory setting, while others will benefit from more intensive care at a referral centre.
El-Deeb W, Fayez M, Elsohaby I, Mkrtchyan HV, Alhaider A.Clostridium difficile (CD) is considered a major health care problem both in developing and developed countries; frequently reported to be associated with enterocolitis and diarrhea in horses and other animals. In this study, we examined acute phase response (APR), cytokines response, neopterin (NP) procalcitonin (PCT) production and oxidative stress condition in horses and foals with C. difficile-induced enterocolitis (CDIE) and evaluated the effectiveness of these parameters as biomarkers for the disease. A total of 407 Arabian horses in 35 stables were examined between January 2017 to Decem...
East LM, Dargatz DA, Traub-Dargatz JL, Savage CJ.Enterocolitis associated with Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) infection in neonatal foals is often severe and has been associated with a high case-mortality risk. We designed a premises-based survey to evaluate the associations of regional foaling practices, premises environmental management, periparturient foal and brood-mare management, and periparturient brood-mare ration with the occurrence of neonatal enterocolitis attributed to C. perfringens infection. Potential risk factors individually associated with enterocolitis were breed type, housing type at foaling and in the first thr...
Mogg TD, Palmer JE.The medical records of 23 American Miniature Horses with hyperlipidemia, hyperlipemia, or hepatic lipidosis were reviewed. The most common clinical signs were anorexia and lethargy. The mean duration of clinical signs was 2.4 days. A primary disease was identified in 19 cases. Enterocolitis was the most common primary disease (n = 10). Intentional feed restriction, as part of treatment for colic, resulted in hyperlipemia in 2 horses and hyperlipidemia in 1. Four horses had primary hyperlipemia, 3 of which had signs of hepatoencephalopathy secondary to hepatic lipidosis. Dextrose, heparin, and ...
Toribio RE, Kohn CW, Chew DJ, Sams RA, Rosol TJ.To evaluate calcium balance and parathyroid gland function in healthy horses and horses with enterocolitis and compare results of an immunochemiluminometric assay (ICMA) with those of an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for determination of serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations in horses. Methods: 64 horses with enterocolitis and 62 healthy horses. Methods: Blood and urine samples were collected for determination of serum total calcium, ionized calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+), phosphorus, BUN, total protein, creatinine, albumin, and PTH concentrations, venous blood gases, and...
Kopper JJ, Kogan CJ, Cook VL, Schott HC.The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an association between type of colloid administered and survival of horses with enterocolitis (N = 92). A retrospective review of medical records of horses with enterocolitis treated with plasma or hetastarch (HES) between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011 was performed. Data collected included signalment, outcome, physical and clinicopathologic findings, and volume and type of colloid administered. Sixty-nine horses (75%) were treated with plasma and 23 horses (25%) were treated with HES. After accounting for confounding varia...
Guglick MA, MacAllister CG, Ewing PJ, Confer AW.A 12-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was admitted to the veterinary medical teaching hospital with a 2-day history of signs of abdominal pain. Initial findings on physical examination included signs of lethargy, dehydration, diarrhea, and gastric reflux. Results of laboratory testing indicated that the horse had panleukopenia with neutrophilic toxic changes, was dehydrated, and was hypocalcemic. During the first 48 hours of hospitalization, 1 abdominal palpation per rectum and 3 analyses of peritoneal fluid were performed; abnormalities were not detected. A preliminary diagnosis of enterocoliti...
Neil KM, Charman RE, Vasey JR.Three foals aged between 21 and 44 days were presented for evaluation of pyrexia and lameness. Each had subcutaneous abscessation associated with osteomyelitis of a rib at the costochondral junction and pathological fracture of the affected rib; one foal had more than one rib affected. Other localised sites of infection included other sites of osteomyelitis, omphalophlebitis, uveitis, enterocolitis, and calcaneal bursitis. The subcutaneous abscessation and rib osteomyelitis was treated surgically in two foals. Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from the subcutaneous abscess in one foal and fr...
Ramaswamy CM, Eades SC, Venugopal CS, Hosgood GL, Garza F, Barker SA, Moore RM.To compare plasma endothelin (ET)- like immunoreactivity between healthy horses and those with naturally acquired gastrointestinal tract disorders. Methods: 29 healthy horses and 142 horses with gastrointestinal tract disorders. Methods: Blood samples were collected from healthy horses and from horses with gastrointestinal tract disorders prior to treatment. Magnitude and duration of abnormal clinical signs were recorded, and clinical variables were assessed via thorough physical examinations. Plasma concentrations of ET-like immunoreactivity were measured by use of a radioimmunoassay for huma...
Slocombe RF, Slauson DO.Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was identified in 19 horses. In 16 cases mycotic lesions were associated with enterocolitis; 14 cases appeared to result from Salmonella infection. Pulmonary lesions included multifocal areas of acute necrosis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and thrombosis with fibrinosuppurative inflammation surrounding mycelial masses. Thromboemboli with fungi were in the brain and kidneys of three cases. Factors which appeared to predispose to pulmonary aspergillosis included corticosteroid therapy, disseminated neoplasms, hepatitis, pleuritis, and peritonitis. This study sugg...
Collins NM, Axon JE, Carrick JB, Russell CM, Palmer JE.To evaluate severe hyponatraemia in foals presenting as medical emergencies to an intensive care unit (ICU) in order to determine the prevalence, clinical findings, primary diagnosis and outcome. Methods: Retrospective case study of records from Thoroughbred foals aged less than 3 months presenting to an ICU as medical emergencies in 2002-12; foals with severe hyponatraemia (serum sodium <122 mmol/L) on admission laboratory data were identified. Data retrieved included signalment, clinical findings, laboratory results, primary diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Results: Severe hyponatraemia w...
Doyle AJ, Freeman DE, Rapp H, Murrell JA, Wilkins PA.To report our experience with horses that presumptively had severe intraluminal hemorrhage from enterotomy or anastomosis. Methods: Clinical study. Methods: Six adult horses and 1 adult donkey. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Illinois (April 1994 to December 2001) to determine the clinical course and outcome of horses with melena and/or anemia and evidence of life-threatening hemorrhage from intestinal incisions. Medical records of all horses that had colic surgery were reviewed to determine the proportion of horses with this complication. In addition, horses ...
East LM, Savage CJ, Traub-Dargatz JL, Dickinson CE, Ellis RP.To identify clinical signs, physical examination findings, results of diagnostic tests, treatments administered, and clinical outcome of neonatal foals with enterocolitis associated with Clostridium perfringens infection. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 54 neonatal foals. Results: Most foals had acute onset of obtunded mentation, colic, or diarrhea and developed leukopenia, neutropenia, an abnormally high number of band neutrophils, toxic WBC, and hypoproteinemia within 24 hours after admission, despite high serum IgG concentrations (> 800 mg/dl). Abdominocentesis and abdominal radiogra...
Sarradell JE, Alvarez J, Biscia M, Zumarraga M, Wunschmann A, Armien AG, Perez AM.A 2-year-old dappled Percheron horse had a wasting condition that did not respond to antibiotic treatments and ultimately resulted in death. Thickening of the wall of the large colon and enlargement of the mesenteric lymph nodes were observed at postmortem examination, along with the presence of pinpoint whitish foci in the liver. Microscopic examination of affected tissues revealed diffuse chronic granulomatous enterocolitis, granulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis, and multifocal granulomatous hepatitis. The DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded intestinal and lymph node samples was analyzed u...
Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Asin J, Henderson EE.The clostridial diseases of horses can be divided into three major groups: enteric/enterotoxic, histotoxic, and neurotoxic. The main enteric/enterotoxic diseases include those produced by Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridioides difficile, both of which are characterized by enterocolitis. The main histotoxic diseases are gas gangrene, Tyzzer disease, and infectious necrotic hepatitis. Gas gangrene is produced by one or more of the following microorganisms: C. perfringens type A, Clostridium septicum, Paeniclostridium sordellii, and Clostridium novyi type A, and it is characterized by ...
Uzal FA, Diab SS, Blanchard P, Moore J, Anthenill L, Shahriar F, Garcia JP, Songer JG.Clostridium perfringens type C is one of the most important agents of enteric disease in newborn foals. Clostridium difficile is now recognized as an important cause of enterocolitis in horses of all ages. While infections by C. perfringens type C or C. difficile are frequently seen, we are not aware of any report describing combined infection by these two microorganisms in foals. We present here five cases of foal enterocolitis associated with C. difficile and C. perfringens type C infection. Five foals between one and seven days of age were submitted for necropsy examination to the Californi...
Trápaga MR, Poester VR, Mousquer MA, de Souza RP, Rafael LA, Bonel J, Melo AM, Reis AG, de Faria RO, Stevens DA, Nogueira CEW, Xavier MO.Aspergillosis is an uncommon disease in horses, but it can be fatal. We report two cases of systemic aspergillosis in foals that occurred in a short period in the same region of southern Brazil. In addition, a literature review of similar cases was also performed. Risk factors were attributed to an immunodepression by primary enterocolitis and corticosteroid treatment, the damage in the epithelium, and multiple antibacterial treatments, which allowed local fungal proliferation, tissue invasion and spread of infection, leading to death. Since the antemortem diagnosis of aspergillosis in foals i...
