[Verminous enteritis and thrombo-embolic colic in the horse. A description of 36 cases (author’s transl)].

The study examines a series of 36 cases of verminous thrombosis, an infection brought about by worm parasites in horses. It is discovered that this condition most often afflicts horses under the age of 3 and primarily manifests itself between July and December, bringing about symptoms like loss of weight, diarrhea, colic, and occasionally even kidney damage.

Case Report and Symptoms

The researchers examined reports of 36 cases of verminous thrombosis of arteria mesenterica cranialis, an intestinal blood clot condition in horses caused by vermin. Specifically, one such vermin is the Strongylus vulgaris worm. All the examined cases were verified at necropsy, meaning after the animals had passed away.

• Three-quarters of the studied horses were under the age of 3
• 73% of the cases had initial signs of the disease occurring between July and December
• Horses suffering from this condition were seen to have noticeable loss of weight and poor health
• Diarrhea was observed in roughly two-thirds of the patients
• Colic, abdominal pain often linked with gastrointestinal disturbance, was observed in half of the cases

However, the study mentions that routine haematological and biochemical examinations did not lead to decisive findings. Hypoproteinaemia, a condition marked by abnormally low levels of protein in the blood, was however found rather frequently in the afflicted horses.

Necropsy Findings: Lesions and Kidney Damage

During necropsy, enteritis and typhlocolitis (inflammation of the intestines and the cecum respectively) were observed in 29 horses. These horses showed different kinds of lesions:

• 8 horses presented with superficial lesions
• 7 horses were found with hyperplastic lesions (excessive tissue growth)
• 12 horses showed diphtheroid/necrotizing lesions (tissue death resulting from diphtheria-like bacterial infection)
• 14% of the horses had renal infarctions, a type of kidney damage resulting from inadequate blood supply

Discussion and Comparison

The authors of the study also discuss their observations in the context of recent developments in understanding the epidemiology of Strongylus vulgaris infection. They drew comparisons between the cases of verminous thrombosis and cases of non-parasitic enteritis (intestinal inflammation) in horses. The authors likely also discussed how current treatment and prevention strategies can be informed by these comparisons and new insights into the disease. Unfortunately, such discussion details are not provided in the abstract, likely being part of the full article.