Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with sudden abdominal pain and weight loss - could it be
By Gay, C C & Lording, P M·Published in Australian veterinary journal·1980·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Peritonitis in horses associated with Actinobacillus equuli.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study involving five horses, a bacteria called Actinobacillus equuli was found to cause a serious condition known as peritonitis, which is inflammation of the abdominal lining. For three of these horses, the symptoms appeared suddenly, with signs of severe abdominal pain and a slowdown in their digestive system. The other two horses had been dealing with ongoing health issues and had lost weight. Tests showed that the fluid in their abdomen contained a high number of certain white blood cells, indicating infection. Four of the horses received treatment and were able to recover successfully.
Abstract
Actinobacillus equuli was the cause of peritonitis in 5 horses. In 3 the onset was sudden with intestinal stasis and acute abdominal pain as predominant findings. Two others presented with chronic disease and weight loss. Characteristically the peritoneal fluid had a high nucleated cell count with non-degenerate neutrophils as the predominant cell type. Four horses were treated and recovered.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7425990/