Analysis of the causes of inversion of the large colon in horses

Abstract

Gastrointestinal diseases in horses are one of the most common causes of death among sport horses. Volvulus of the large colon is one of the most severe forms of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of horses. The disease is acute and requires immediate hospitalization and surgical intervention. With complete volvulus of the large colon, in the absence of surgical treatment, death occurs in 100 percent of cases. The limited number and inaccessibility of specialized clinics capable of performing this operation make the problem of prevention, as well as timely detection and treatment of concomitant diseases that can provoke volvulus of the large colon, urgent. In this article, we analyzed the literature data on this issue, and also present our own statistics obtained during the collection of anamneses from patients operated on in our clinic in the period 2021-2023, with a diagnosis of volvulus of the large colon. The main reasons that can provoke volvulus of the large colon can be considered gross violations in the technology of feeding and keeping horses, lack of conditions for daily exercise, the use of medications, the side effects of which can be inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, lack of control over the condition of teeth, recent foaling in mares. During the period 2021-2023, twelve patients diagnosed with volvulus of the large colon were operated on in our clinic. Six of these were mares, one arrived three weeks after foaling, five were geldings aged 7, 10, 16 and 19 years and one was a stallion.