Enteroliths
Enteroliths are ____________________, or stones, that are formed in the gastrointestinal tract.
The chronic ingestion of _______________ or other indigestible materials causes irritation of the intestinal lining. The indigestible material acts as a nidus, causing the gastrointestinal tract to secrete ammonium magnesium phosphate, or_________________, in concentric layers around the nidus until a calculus is formed. Enteroliths in the gastrointestinal tract impair digestion and absorption of nutrients leading to poor body condition, or they may impede motility of the gastrointestinal tract causing ileus or obstruction of the intestines. Horses grazing on sandy soils or those feed off the ground may be at higher risk for enteroliths as they are more likely to ingest sand. Horses fed rich feeds such as alfalfa hay are more likely to produce and secrete struvite in response to gastrointestinal irritation. The state of California has higher rates and Arabians have a familial predisposition. Though these conditions predispose horses to enterolith formation, it is rare for horses to suffer from this condition as the ingestion of indigestible materials is much more likely to trigger an acute colic event which will not give an enterolith time to form. Enteroliths don’t cause external symptoms until they are large enough to cause an obstruction. This leads to pain and colic, possible diarrhea and poor body condition regardless of the quality or amount of food consumed. Diagnosis is made through the isolation of smaller enteroliths in feces or through endoscopy or x-ray revealing the presence of enteroliths within the intestines. Enteroliths are treated by increasing the dietary intake of non-soluble _______________ such as psyllium to flush out the enteroliths. Larger enteroliths may require ____________________ therapy to break the calculi into smaller fragments so that they may be passed through the intestines or surgical removal.
Protein Loosing Enteropathy
Protein loosing enteropathy describes any condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract that results in the __________________ of nutrients and loss of the body’s proteins. Causes include enterocolitis, usually caused by Lawsonia intracellularis or salmonella bacterium, ulcers, blister beetle poisoning, parasites, GIT tumors or type 3 hypersensitivity reaction. Inflammation of the intestines leads to the malabsorption of ________________ . The proteins pass through the intestinal wall in a peri-cellular manner, into the peritoneal fluid. This causes peritonitis and hypoproteinemia, which may be acute or chronic. The proteins may also be lost within the feces.
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