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Impaction of the stomach typically consists ofexcessive dry, fibrous ingesta, but may also be composed of ingested materialsthat form a mass, such as persimmon seeds or mesquite beans.1-3 Otherfeeds that tend to swell after ingestion, including wheat, barley, and sugarbeet pulp, may also cause impaction. Additional signs may include dysphagia,dropping of feed, and bruxism.3,5 However, the diagnosis of stomachimpaction is usually made at surgery on horses that have had uncontrollablecolic or poor response to medical therapy. However, endoscopy will revealgastric impaction, and may provide information on the specific nature of theimpaction. Although this would not typically be performed on an acute coliccase, it would be indicated in a horse with chronic colic.

Gastric impaction can occur as a primary condition but is often diagnosed at surgery as a finding secondary to other disturbances in the intestinal tract.  In some cases there be predisposing causes such as ulceration or fibrosis at the pylorus, whereas in other cases it ma occur spontaneously. Predisposing factors:

*Ingestion of certain feedstuffs including beet pulp, bran, straw, wheat and barley - beet pulp and bran can become dessicated within the stomach and may not become rehydrated by water or gastric secretions

*Dental disorders - roughage may be incompletely masticated

*Feeding a horse that has signs of colic - there may be poor gastric emptying associated with generalised decreased gastrointestinal motility

 

If the signs are mild and resolve spontaenosuly or with analgesics, owners often inclined to feed the horse, worsening the imapction

 

Suspected if cannto pass NGT, with gastric disytension the gastoroesophageal junction can become distoreted makingit difficutl to pass an NGT

If poorly macerated r digested feed material is recvered form the NGT when the horse has been starved for several hrs

On rectal, spleen may be dispalced caudally andmedially (not specific)

Endoscopy (not diagnostic for impaction and diffcult to assess gastric distnsion)

Rads may help, will show diaphragm displaced crnaially