Clostridium difficle is a gram positive bacteria of the family Clostridiaceae. They are normally part of the normal flora, so known as a commensal bacteria. The problem arises when the bacteria competing within the host are destroyed by antibiotics.
C. difficle become overpopulated, and begin to produce pathogenic strains producing toxins, namely enterotoxin and cytotoxin. These may cause diarrhoea, and abdominal pains, or pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) under more severe circumstances.
- Dogs with chronic diarrhoea
- New born foals with haemorrhagic enterocolitis
- Possibly associated with acute colitis in adult horses following antibiotic therapy or grain overload