Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with chronic weight loss and diarrhea - what to know
By Villagrán, Claudia Cruz et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2021·Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Cruz Villagrá, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Inflammatory bowel disease characterized by multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED) in a horse in Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding in Saskatchewan was having serious health issues, including losing weight, having diarrhea, and experiencing intense itching. When the vet examined him, they found painful sores on his skin and inside his mouth. Tests showed he had inflammation in his intestines, and after he passed away, the diagnosis revealed a condition called multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED), which is a type of inflammatory bowel disease in horses. This condition can be hard to identify and often requires special tests to confirm. Unfortunately, the treatment options for this disease can be limited, and it may not respond well to standard therapies.
Abstract
A 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for chronic weight loss, diarrhea, and pruritus. Physical examination revealed several ulcerative lesions on the skin and mucosal membranes. Diagnostic imaging findings were consistent with enteritis, typhlitis, and colitis. Multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED) was diagnosed upon necropsy. This disease may be considered a form of equine inflammatory bowel disease complex which can be challenging to diagnose, requiring histological assessment, and in some cases, the use of immunohistochemical markers. Key clinical message: Multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease is challenging to diagnose but should be considered in horses with chronic weight loss that fail to respond to conventional treatment for concurrent diarrhea and skin lesions.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34728845/