[Peritonitis in horses: a retrospective study of 95 cases].

This research looks at the symptoms and outcomes of peritonitis in horses, with the study involving 95 cases. The researchers outlined the most common clinical signs and performed tests on the horses’ peritoneal fluid. They also recorded the overall mortality rate and compared various health parameters between survivors and non-survivors.

Clinical Signs

• The study found that the most common symptom of peritonitis in horses was colic, reported in 67.4% of cases, followed closely by altered mucous membranes (75.8% of cases) and an increased tension in the abdominal wall (69.9%).
• Other symptoms included an elevated heart rate (53.2%), reduced intestinal motility (63.2%), and pyrexia (a state of raised body temperature, 45.1%).

Peritoneal Fluid Examination

• Peritonitis usually causes an increase in peritoneal fluid. Indeed, 62.3% of the horses showed an increased amount of this fluid.
• Almost all (98.8%) had abnormal color and translucency in the peritoneal fluid. Measurements of the fluid showed that it had a high nucleated cell count, increased protein content, and specific gravity.
• A significantly high relative quantity of neutrophils was present in these horses, indicating an inflammatory response.

Blood Tests and Disease Duration

• Complete blood count and other blood chemistry analyses provided insights into the level of circulatory depression in the affected horses and how long the disease had lasted.
• The levels of various substances, such as packed cell volume, urea, creatinine, glutamate dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and blood pH were significantly different between survivors and horses that did not survive.

Mortality Rate and Prognosis

• The disease had a high mortality rate – nearly half of the horses (47.4%) did not survive.
• Non-survivors were more likely to show increased heart and respiratory rates, altered mucous membranes, increased abdominal wall tension, reduced intestinal motility and more peritoneal fluid.
• Despite significant differences in the substances measured in the blood tests, none of them were statistically significant in terms of predicting the outcome of the disease.

This study provides valuable insights into the symptoms, diagnostic processes, and prognosis for horses with peritonitis, informing better veterinary practices for treating this condition.