Enteroliths
are concretions composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate salts that
forms slowly around a nidus such as a small metallic object or
stone.
Enteroliths are single or multiple and usually do not cause any clinical signs unless they become lodged in the transverse or small colon.
It is commonly seen in middle aged horses,with Arabians, Morgans , Saddlebreeds and Miniature horses.
A large percentage of affected horses are on an Alfalfa diet with a high magnesium and protein content
That foreign object can be as insignificant as a sliver of wood or a piece of binder twine that didn’t get sorted out from the hay.
In the rare instance that the body fails to expel the indigestible particle, it tries to protect the gut instead, by encasing the object in layers of mineral deposits
Enteroliths are single or multiple and usually do not cause any clinical signs unless they become lodged in the transverse or small colon.
It is commonly seen in middle aged horses,with Arabians, Morgans , Saddlebreeds and Miniature horses.
A large percentage of affected horses are on an Alfalfa diet with a high magnesium and protein content
That foreign object can be as insignificant as a sliver of wood or a piece of binder twine that didn’t get sorted out from the hay.
In the rare instance that the body fails to expel the indigestible particle, it tries to protect the gut instead, by encasing the object in layers of mineral deposits
Small
ones are generally passed in the manure (eventually), but larger
ones can be responsible for mysterious, recurrent colic and need to
be removed surgically before they cause a fatal intestinal rupture.
- Decreased faecal passage,colic and weight loss.
- If enteroliths is in colonic mucosa, the obstruction is complete and gas and ingesta accumulates leads to severe acute abdominal pain.
- Tachycardia
- Abdominal distension
- Nasogastric reflux
Diagnosis
Diagnosing
enteroliths is usually done by a combination of radiographs and
surgical exploration
Preventions
- Eliminate, as much as possible, the chance that your horse will ingest a foreign object by removing binder twine from hay and checking his surroundings and paddocks for debris and garbage.
- Feeding on the ground should be avoided.
- Feed grass hay. Most horses that develop enteroliths have a diet of at least 50% alfalfa hay, which has much higher levels of calcium, magnesium, and protein than grass hay.
- Reduce the amount of wheat bran in your horse’s diet. Bran provides high levels of phosphorus, which could contribute to enterolith formation.
- Provide free-choice hay or increase the number of feedings each horse gets per day. This will help keep the digestive system occupied because when the gut isn’t actively moving feed material along its length, it could be providing a favorable environment for enteroliths to incubate and grow.
- Provide daily exercise and avoid prolonged stall confinement. Inactivity also contributes to reduced intestinal movement of feed.
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