RESUMO
The aim of this study is to describe clinical data associated with acorn intoxication and to find variables associated with survival. Data from horses presented at CISCO-ONIRIS from 2011 to 2018 with a diagnosis of acorn intoxication were included. Diagnosis was based on the following: season, the presence of acorns in the environment, clinical and hemato-biochemical parameters suggestive of a digestive/renal disease, the co-morbidity of companion animals, and post-mortem findings. Statistical analysis was completed using Student's t-test for mean comparisons and a Chi-square test for group comparisons (p < 0.05). A total of 25 horses were included, and seasonality suggests that the intoxication may vary from year to year. Clinical signs associated with acorn intoxication were signs of circulatory shock (lethargy, tachycardia, abnormal mucous membrane, tachypnea), digestive signs (diarrhea, ileus, colic), and abnormal temperature. Clinical pathological findings included increased hematocrit, WBC, creatinine, BUN, GGT, AST, CK and decreased albumin. Overall, 44% (11/25) of horses survived. The majority (13/14) of non-survivors died, or were euthanized, during the first 48 h. Findings significantly associated with non-survival were age, heart rate, hemorrhagic diarrhea, ileus, hematocrit, creatinine, blood lactate, and thickness of the colon wall at ultrasonography. This study provides equine practitioners with valuable prognostic information in cases of acorn intoxication.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Nutritional factors are suggested to influence the incidence and severity of glandular gastric disease (GGD) in horses. OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively assess whether dietary fermentable carbohydrates increase the severity of GGD and to prospectively evaluate whether the partial substitution of concentrates by dehydrated alfalfa would decrease GGD severity scores. ANIMALS: In total, 82 trotters from 4 training centers exercised ≥5 days/week. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective observational study, and prospective 2-arm randomized trial. Glandular mucosae were observed by gastroscopy and scored (0-4 severity scale) at day 0 (D0). Biochemical composition of the diet fed was compared between ulcerated and nonulcerated groups. After D0, horses either received the same diet (control, n = 41) or pelleted dehydrated alfalfa substituting 50% concentrates (alfalfa, n = 41). Glandular scores were recorded in both groups after 21 (D21) and 42 days (D42). The first end point was a successful outcome, defined as a horse with a glandular score of 2 to 4 on D0, decreasing to a score of 0 to 1 on days 21 or 42. RESULTS: Horses scored 0 to 1 at D0 ingested more (P = .01) soluble sugars from concentrates than those scored 2 to 4 before D0 (77.5 g/kg BW; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.1-84.0, vs 59.1 g/kg BW; 95% CI: 48.0-70.3), whereas starch intake did not differ between groups (P = .24). Among horses scored 2 to 4 at D0, fewer were scored 2 to 4 in the alfalfa group (1 out of 6) compared with the control group (6 out of 6) at D42 (P = .02). Clinical success was 47.7 times more likely in horses fed alfalfa compared with horses in the control group (95% CI: 1.6-1422.8). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Relationships were found between diet composition and integrity of the glandular mucosa. Feeding pelleted dehydrated alfalfa could help to reduce the incidence and severity of GGD.
