Prevalence of Gastric Ulceration in Horses with Enterolithiasis Compared with Horses with Simple Large Intestinal Obstruction.
Abstract: Enterolithiasis is a well-documented cause of colic in horses, especially in some geographic areas such as California and Florida. This retrospective case-control study aims at comparing the prevalence of gastric ulcers in horses affected by enterolithiasis to that in horses affected by other types of large intestinal obstruction. Two hundred and ninety-six horses were included in the study sample. Horses that had surgery for the removal of one or more enteroliths were included in the study as cases. Patients that had surgery for large intestinal simple obstructions other than enterolithiasis (large colon displacement, non-strangulating large colon torsion, and large and small colon impactions) were selected to match case horses for age, sex, and breed and included as controls. A total of 101/148 horses with enteroliths (68%) had gastric ulcers diagnosed during hospitalization, compared with 46/148 of matched controls (31%). There was a significant association between enterolithiasis and gastric ulceration (odds ratio 4.76, p < 0.0001), and a greater prevalence in Thoroughbreds as compared with other breeds (odds ratio 22.6, p < 0.0001). We concluded that enterolithiasis is significantly associated with gastric ulceration (p < 0.0001). The association is stronger in Thoroughbreds.
Publication Date: 2022-10-25 PubMed ID: 36356064PubMed Central: PMC9698009DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9110587Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article examines the prevalence of gastric ulcers in horses affected by enterolithiasis, a condition which causes colic, compared to horses suffering from different types of large intestinal obstructions. The study revealed a significant link between enterolithiasis and gastric ulceration, which was particularly pronounced amongst Thoroughbred horses.
Objective of the Study
- The study aimed to compare the prevalence of gastric ulcers in horses suffering from enterolithiasis, a condition known to cause colic, with those experiencing various other forms of large intestinal blockage.
Study Sample
- A total of 296 horses were analyzed for this case-control study.
- The horses which underwent surgery to remove one or more enteroliths were classified as cases.
- Horses that underwent surgery for a basic large intestinal obstruction not linked to enterolithiasis, like large colon displacement or colon impactions, were selected as controls, matched according to age, sex, and breed.
Findings
- Out of 148 horses with enteroliths, 101 (equivalent to 68%) were diagnosed with gastric ulcers during their hospital stay.
- The percentage of gastric ulcers was significantly lower in the control group, with gastric ulcers diagnosed only in 46 out of 148 (or 31%).
- These findings reveal a significant link between the occurrence of gastric ulceration and enterolithiasis with an odds ratio of 4.76, making horses with enteroliths nearly 5 times more likely to develop gastric ulcers than those suffering from other types of large intestinal obstruction.
Significance of the Results
- The study showed a marked significance for Thoroughbred horses, with an odds ratio of 22.6, implying that this breed is over 22 times more likely to develop gastric ulcers when they have enterolithiasis compared to other breeds.
- The researchers concluded that there is a strong and significant association between enterolithiasis and gastric ulceration (p < 0.0001), and this association is stronger in Thoroughbreds.
Cite This Article
APA
Albanese V, Munsterman A, Klohnen A.
(2022).
Prevalence of Gastric Ulceration in Horses with Enterolithiasis Compared with Horses with Simple Large Intestinal Obstruction.
Vet Sci, 9(11).
https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9110587 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Tierärztliches Kompetenzzentrum für Pferde Großwallstadt Altano GmbH, 63868 Großwallstadt, Germany.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Chino Valley Equine Hospital, Chino Hills, CA 91709, USA.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 64 references
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Guerrero JLS, Brito PHS, Ferreira MA, Arantes JA, Rusch E, Oliveira BVDS, Velasco-Bolaños J, Carregaro AB, Dória RGS. Evaluation of Gastric pH and Gastrin Concentrations in Horses Subjected to General Inhalation Anesthesia in Dorsal Recumbency. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 15;14(8).
- Subramaniyan SS, Gopal SV. Stitch-induced caecal fecolith: An unusual long-term complication following laparoscopic appendicectomy. J Minim Access Surg 2025 Jan 1;21(1):71-73.
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