Changes

===Diagnosis===

===Diagnosis===

Affected horses may have a history of living in a sandy environment, grazing in dry weather or a reduction in water intake. Auscultation of the abdomen may reveal gritty-sounding 'rubs' heard as the sand moves through the colon. Definitive diagnosis of an impaction is made via rectal palpation or transrectal ultrasonography with identification of sand in the colon. In many cases however the impacted segment is located in the cranial gastrointestinal tract and therefore out of reach. Transrectal ultrasonography may assist in identifying the presence of sand. Sand also may be seen in the faeces by mixing faecal material with water in a plastic rectal examination sleeve and allowing the sand to fall to the bottom.  

Affected horses may have a history of living in a sandy environment, grazing in dry weather or a reduction in water intake. Auscultation of the abdomen may reveal gritty-sounding 'rubs' heard as the sand moves through the colon. Definitive diagnosis of an impaction is made via rectal palpation or transrectal ultrasonography with identification of sand in the colon. In many cases however the impacted segment is located in the cranial gastrointestinal tract and therefore out of reach. Transrectal ultrasonography may assist in identifying the presence of sand.Sand also may be seen in the faeces by mixing faecal material with water in a plastic rectal examination sleeve and allowing the sand to fall to the bottom. If performed, abdominocentesis should be carried out with extreme caution in order to avoid inadvertent laceration of the sand-impacted colon.

Abdominal radiography may be useful in assessing the volume and location of sand impactions in foals, minature horses and small ponies.  

Abdominal radiography may be useful in assessing the volume and location of sand impactions in foals, minature horses and small ponies.