Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Laboratory evaluation of malassimilation in horses.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
- Year:
- 1987
- Authors:
- Sweeney, R W
- Affiliation:
- University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
If a horse is losing weight but still seems to have a good appetite, it might be experiencing a condition called malassimilation, which means it's not properly absorbing nutrients. To confirm this, veterinarians often use tests that check how well the horse absorbs sugars, like glucose or D-xylose. For young horses, a lactose tolerance test can help identify if they have trouble digesting lactose, a sugar found in milk. If malassimilation is confirmed, further tests like taking fluid from the abdomen or biopsies from the intestines may be needed to find out why this is happening.
Abstract
Malassimilation should be suspected in horses with weight loss in spite of a good appetite. Malassimilation is usually confirmed with oral glucose or D-xylose absorption tests, whereas the oral lactose tolerance test can be used to evaluate lactase deficiency in foals. Once malassimilation is confirmed, other diagnostic tests such as abdominocentesis, rectal mucosal biopsy, or exploratory laparotomy with intestinal biopsies may determine the etiology of malassimilation.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3322523/