Clinical Characteristics of Horses with Gastrointestinal Ruptures Revealed During Initial Diagnostic Evaluation: 149 Cases (1990-2002)

摘要

Common clinical findings associated with acute intestinal rupture include depression, sweating, reluctance to walk, tachycardia, fever, hemoconcentration with normoproteinemia, leukopenia, abnormal mucous membranes, elevated peritoneal fluid protein concentration, and abnormal peritoneal fluid color. Abdominal radiography and ultrasound can be useful diagnostic aids for identification of pneumoperitoneum associated with intestinal rupture. In horses with colic associated with acute intestinal rupture, knowledge of the most common clinical parameters may be valuable in assessing colic and in making the decision to refer a patient to a surgical facility or to perform euthanasia. Definitive assessment of intestinal rupture may allow avoidance of prolonged suffering of the patient as well as additional expense to owners.