The clinical and pathological features of gastric impaction in twelve horses.

The study provides a comprehensive review of the clinical and pathological details related to gastric impaction in horses, based on cases observed over a seven-year period.

Research Design and Methods

• The researchers reviewed the clinical records of horses that presented with colic symptoms during a seven-year period. They especially focused on cases that showed signs of gastric impaction.
• Data collected was mainly clinical and clinicopathological in nature, providing an insight into the various health details and trajectory of the disease in the affected horses.

Key Findings

• Out of 857 horses hospitalized due to colic, only 12 or 1.4% were identified to have gastric impaction.
• The diagnosis was confirmed through various methods including ultrasonographic examination, gastroscopy, exploratory celiotomy and/or post mortem examination.
• The research reveals that out of the 12 horses suffering from gastric impaction, only five were successfully treated. Among the remaining, five were euthanized, while two succumbed to the disease.
• The study also recorded spontaneous gastric rupture in three horses despite attempts at treatment.
• In cases where a post mortem examination was conducted (7 out of 12), muscular thickening of the stomach wall was noted in the majority of the horses (6 out of 7).
• A microscopic examination of stomach tissues showed focal fibrosis and myositis, emphasizing the detrimental impact of the disease on the horses’ gastric health.

Conclusions and Practical Significance

• The report concludes that gastric impaction is not a common cause of colic in horses. However, when present, it can induce a variety of symptoms including acute, chronic, or recurrent colic and may occur in conjunction with other gastrointestinal diseases.
• The study indicates that spontaneous gastric rupture can happen in horses with gastric impaction.
• A significant finding is the identification of gross thickening of the muscular layers of the stomach wall in a considerable proportion of the affected horses. This could potentially serve as a diagnostic indicator in future cases of gastric impaction.