The paradox of diarrhoeal disease and small colon obstruction

Abstract

Summary The interesting finding of stenosis in a case series of 3 foals that initially presented with diarrhoeal disease is suggestive of an inflammatory and fibrotic event that is more frequently reported in people with inflammatory bowel disease. In man, stenosis is believed to occur because of inflammation and excessive production of scar tissue in the absence of a normal reparative response. However, this is typically a chronic process, whereas in the foals, stenosis occurred within weeks to months. Other diseases of horses, particularly right dorsal colitis and small colon impaction preceded by diarrhoeal disease, have some similarities to the focal disease described for foals. Collectively, equine studies are increasingly pointing toward complex interactions in the intestinal tract between the mucosa, the microbiome, management factors such as diet, and reparative responses to inflammatory insult.