Comparison of plasma and peritoneal indices of fibrinolysis between foals and adult horses with and without colic.

This research focuses on assessing the risk of intra-abdominal adhesion formation in foals and adult horses based on a comparison of blood and abdominal fluid samples. It was concluded that this risk in foals does not seem to be linked to any discrepancies in intra-abdominal hemostasis between foals and adults. Thus, existing strategies for initial medical and surgical care for colic in adult horses might also be applied to foals with similar conditions.

Objective and Methodology

• The primary goal of this research was to identify any potential hemostatic imbalances that might indicate an elevated risk of intra-abdominal adhesion formation in young horses (foals) versus adult horses.
• The sample involved 16 foals aged up to 6 months and 19 adult horses aged 5 years or above, who were suffering from colic and therefore underwent surgical examinations like abdominocentesis or exploratory laparotomy.
• Furthermore, 15 healthy foals and 10 healthy adults who were undergoing herniorrhaphy (being euthanized for non-inflammatory and non-gastrointestinal disease) were also brought into the scope of the study for comparison.
• Samples of abdominal fluid and blood were collected from each horse into a solution of buffered sodium citrate, then immediately subjected to centrifugation. The supernatants were kept at -80°C and later thawed for measurement of plasminogen activity, fibrinogen concentration, antiplasmin activity, and D-dimer concentration.

Results and Conclusions

• All measured parameters (analyte concentrations or activities) in the abdominal fluid samples were significantly lower in the noncolic groups compared to the colic groups, with no significant differences identified between foals and adult horses.
• Several plasma analyte values differed depending on disease status and age. These differences may warrant further exploration in future research.
• The study concludes that the risk of intra-abdominal adhesion building in foals does not appear to stem from differences in intra-abdominal hemostasis between adult horses and foals. This implies that existing medical and surgical strategies for treating colic in adult horses are likely applicable to foals experiencing similar issues.