Glandular gastric disease prevalence in equids (horses, donkeys, and mules) and other gastric findings: post-mortem comparative study.

Abstract: Equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) has limited prevalence studies and scarce understanding of the predisposing factors and pathophysiological mechanisms involved. The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the post-mortem prevalence of EGGD and other gastric lesions in Colombian equids, specifically horses, donkeys, and mules. The study utilized a sample of 300 equids stomachs, with 100 specimens from each group, collected immediately after slaughter. The post-mortem examination included a thorough inspection of the ventral fundus, adjacent area of the margo plicatus, and pyloric antrum of the glandular mucosa, carefully identifying any lesions or abnormalities. The results showed that the overall macroscopic presence of EGGD in the equid population was 68.30% on average, with specific rates of 45.00% in horses, 77.00% in donkeys, and 83.00% in mules, with lesions predominantly affecting the fundus and pyloric antrum regions. Inflammatory processes were observed to be similar between donkeys and horses, while mules exhibited distinct inflammatory patterns in the glandular mucosa. Additional gastric findings, such as gastritis (85.30%), gastric impaction (10.00%), and parasitic infections (13.30%), were also documented during the study. The findings suggested that EGGD was prevalent across all three groups of equids. Although the inflammatory conditions and their distribution were similar in horses and donkeys, differences in the location, frequency, and severity of mucosal lesions were observed among the three species.