Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Foal with severe belly pain found to have jejunum trapped in epiploic
By Murray, R C et al.·Published in The Cornell veterinarian·1994·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Incarceration of the jejunum in the epiploic foramen of a four month old foal.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 4-month-old Arabian filly was brought in because she had been in pain for about 30 hours. During the examination, the veterinarians noticed that she had a fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, and her gums were very red. She also had a swollen belly and was dehydrated, which led to some serious issues with her kidney function and electrolyte levels. Despite receiving pain relief, her condition continued to worsen, indicating a serious blockage in her intestines. Unfortunately, the owners chose not to proceed with surgery, and a later examination after her passing showed that a part of her intestine was trapped in a small opening in her abdomen. This case is notable because it is the first time such a condition has been reported in a young foal.
Abstract
A 4-month Arabian filly presented for abdominal pain of 30 hours duration was found to have tachycardia, tachypnea, congested mucous membranes and gross abdominal distension. Further examination disclosed gastric reflux and small intestinal distension. Dehydration, prerenal azotemia, electrolyte abnormalities and metabolic alkalemia were observed. There was a progressive nonresponse to analgesic medication and deterioration in the foal's physiologic condition consistent with a small intestinal strangulating obstruction. Surgical exploration was declined. Necropsy examination revealed incarceration of the mid-jejunum in the epiploic foramen with proximal jejunal distension. This case is remarkable as the first report of entrapment of the jejunum in the epiploic foramen of a young foal.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8313708/