Author, Donkey, Bureaucrats, Administrators
53,803
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Created page with '=====Equine dysautonomia, or grass sickness===== * Most prevalent in the UK and western Europe. ** Common in wetter areas, e.g. the South West. * Seen in horses out at pasture…'
=====Equine dysautonomia, or grass sickness=====
* Most prevalent in the UK and western Europe.
** Common in wetter areas, e.g. the South West.
* Seen in horses out at pasture in late summer and autumn.
* Usually affects young adults.
** 6-7 years old.
* '''Clinical'''
** Acute oneset:
*** Muscular tremors
*** Abdominal pain
*** Does not eat
*** Constipation
*** Become severly tympanic in acute cases
*** Dull and restless
*** Avoid swallowing
*** Salivate excessively
** Degenerative lesions are seen in the autonomic nerve ganglia, including enteric plexuses
** May either:
*** Progress rapidly to death
*** Take a slower clinical course.
**** Eat a bit, but food drops out of mouth
**** Go on to die slowly.
** Some horses recover
*** This is very unlikely, and the condition is usually fatal.
** Clinically difficult to diagnose - signs are confined to the gut.
*** Easy to diagnose on post mortem
* '''Pathology'''
** [[Forestomach - Anatomy & Physiology|Stomach]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] large amounts of contain watery yellow fluid.
*** There is an abrupt change in the [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]], where no fluid is present.
**** [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]] has very dry mucoid contents.
* '''Pathogenesis'''
** Due to functional obstruction at ileocaecal valve and a degree of paralytic ileus of the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]].
** The exact cause is unknown, but a type of bacterial or fungal toxin which may damage autonomic nervous system ganglia may be involved.
*** ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' is thought to be involved.
* A similar condition seen in hares
** Certain yeares almost seem to have outbreaks.
* Certain pastures at certain times of year produce grass sickness quite often.
** A definitive diagnosis must be made - if the condition is due to the grazing we need to know.
*** E.g. if on livery or stud grazing, may put people off going there.
* 'Diagnosis'''
** At post mortem look for degenerative changes in coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia - need to examine histologically.
*** Ganglia are peanut sized and found in perirenal fat between adrenal gland and the aorta.[[Category:Intestine_-_Functional_Obstruction]][[Category:Horse]]
* Most prevalent in the UK and western Europe.
** Common in wetter areas, e.g. the South West.
* Seen in horses out at pasture in late summer and autumn.
* Usually affects young adults.
** 6-7 years old.
* '''Clinical'''
** Acute oneset:
*** Muscular tremors
*** Abdominal pain
*** Does not eat
*** Constipation
*** Become severly tympanic in acute cases
*** Dull and restless
*** Avoid swallowing
*** Salivate excessively
** Degenerative lesions are seen in the autonomic nerve ganglia, including enteric plexuses
** May either:
*** Progress rapidly to death
*** Take a slower clinical course.
**** Eat a bit, but food drops out of mouth
**** Go on to die slowly.
** Some horses recover
*** This is very unlikely, and the condition is usually fatal.
** Clinically difficult to diagnose - signs are confined to the gut.
*** Easy to diagnose on post mortem
* '''Pathology'''
** [[Forestomach - Anatomy & Physiology|Stomach]] and [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] large amounts of contain watery yellow fluid.
*** There is an abrupt change in the [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]], where no fluid is present.
**** [[Large Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|large intestine]] has very dry mucoid contents.
* '''Pathogenesis'''
** Due to functional obstruction at ileocaecal valve and a degree of paralytic ileus of the [[Small Intestine - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]].
** The exact cause is unknown, but a type of bacterial or fungal toxin which may damage autonomic nervous system ganglia may be involved.
*** ''[[Clostridium botulinum]]'' is thought to be involved.
* A similar condition seen in hares
** Certain yeares almost seem to have outbreaks.
* Certain pastures at certain times of year produce grass sickness quite often.
** A definitive diagnosis must be made - if the condition is due to the grazing we need to know.
*** E.g. if on livery or stud grazing, may put people off going there.
* 'Diagnosis'''
** At post mortem look for degenerative changes in coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia - need to examine histologically.
*** Ganglia are peanut sized and found in perirenal fat between adrenal gland and the aorta.[[Category:Intestine_-_Functional_Obstruction]][[Category:Horse]]