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| | * Most notably affects horses and cats. | | * Most notably affects horses and cats. |
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| − | =====Equine dysautonomia, or grass sickness=====
| + | [[Grass Sickness]] |
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| − | * Most prevalent in the UK and western Europe.
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| − | ** Common in wetter areas, e.g. the South West.
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| − | * Seen in horses out at pasture in late summer and autumn.
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| − | * Usually affects young adults.
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| − | ** 6-7 years old.
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| − | * '''Clinical'''
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| − | ** Acute oneset:
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| − | *** Muscular tremors
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| − | *** Abdominal pain
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| − | *** Does not eat
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| − | *** Constipation
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| − | *** Become severly tympanic in acute cases
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| − | *** Dull and restless
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| − | *** Avoid swallowing
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| − | *** Salivate excessively
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| − | ** Degenerative lesions are seen in the autonomic nerve ganglia, including enteric plexuses
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| − | ** May either:
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| − | *** Progress rapidly to death
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| − | *** Take a slower clinical course.
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| − | **** Eat a bit, but food drops out of mouth
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| − | **** Go on to die slowly.
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| − | ** Some horses recover
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| − | *** This is very unlikely, and the condition is usually fatal.
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| − | ** Clinically difficult to diagnose - signs are confined to the gut.
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| − | *** Easy to diagnose on post mortem
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| − | * '''Pathology'''
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| − | ** [[Forestomach - Anatomy & Physiology|Stomach]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] large amounts of contain watery yellow fluid.
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| − | *** There is an abrupt change in the [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]], where no fluid is present.
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| − | **** [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]] has very dry mucoid contents.
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| − | * '''Pathogenesis'''
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| − | ** Due to functional obstruction at ileocaecal valve and a degree of paralytic ileus of the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]].
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| − | ** The exact cause is unknown, but a type of bacterial or fungal toxin which may damage autonomic nervous system ganglia may be involved.
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| − | *** ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' is thought to be involved.
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| − | * A similar condition seen in hares
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| − | ** Certain yeares almost seem to have outbreaks.
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| − | * Certain pastures at certain times of year produce grass sickness quite often.
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| − | ** A definitive diagnosis must be made - if the condition is due to the grazing we need to know.
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| − | *** E.g. if on livery or stud grazing, may put people off going there.
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| − | * 'Diagnosis'''
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| − | ** At post mortem look for degenerative changes in coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia - need to examine histologically.
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| − | *** Ganglia are peanut sized and found in perirenal fat between adrenal gland and the aorta.
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| | =====Feline dysautonomia, or Key-Gaskell Syndrome===== | | =====Feline dysautonomia, or Key-Gaskell Syndrome===== |