Changes

Impaction of the large colon is seen in horses with limited access to drinking water or those grazing bare pastures. Horses fed on a low-roughage diet are more prone to developing the condition. The ingested sand may act as an inflammatory stimulus leading to a foreign body enteritis. Alternatively the sand may accumulate and form a sediment within the right dorsal colon, pelvic flexure and transverse colon leading to an impaction.

Impaction of the large colon is seen in horses with limited access to drinking water or those grazing bare pastures. Horses fed on a low-roughage diet are more prone to developing the condition. The ingested sand may act as an inflammatory stimulus leading to a foreign body enteritis. Alternatively the sand may accumulate and form a sediment within the right dorsal colon, pelvic flexure and transverse colon leading to an impaction.

Sand impactions are particularly common in dry sandy regions of the world and are far less common in the UK and rest of Europe.  

Sand impactions are particularly common in dry sandy regions of the world and are far less common in the UK and rest of Europe. Although all horses may be affected, indiscriminate feeders and young horses that may consume sand voluntarily are more prone to the condition.

===Clinical signs===

===Clinical signs===