Ultrasonography as an Accurate Tool for the Diagnosis of Equine Sand Colic with Special Reference to Hematological and Biochemical Alterations

Arbaga, Ali; Hassan, Hany; Kasem, Mohammed; Kamr, Ahmed

doi:10.21608/jcvr.2024.384954

Ultrasonography as an Accurate Tool for the Diagnosis of Equine Sand Colic with Special Reference to Hematological and Biochemical Alterations

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/jcvr.2024.384954

Abstract

A total of thirty native draft horses were divided into two main groups; Group 1: had
fifteen healthy, Group 2: had fifteen horses suffered from sand colic. All horses were
undergone to a full clinical investigation. DRAMISKI 4 vet diagnostic ultrasound device was
used. Horses with sand colic showed mild to moderate colic, anorexia, chronic weight loss,
poor performance, sandy manure and characteristic pouring sand sound that heard in
ventral abdomen in the area just caudal to the xiphoid region. The rectal palpation in
horses with sand colic revealed increased hardness of fecal ball and gassy dilation or
impacted segment the colon. The wall of the large colon was seemed "brighter" and more
hyperechoic by ultrasonography. The hematobiochemical findings revealed that the values
of RBCs, Hb, monocytes, sodium, chloride, potassium and calcium were significantly
decreased, while PCV, WBCs, neutrophils and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly
increased in horses with sand colic compared to healthy ones.

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