Hospital-based study of dental pathology and faecal particle size distribution in horses with large colon impaction

The aim of the study was to determine if horses with large colon impaction were more severely affected by oral pathology than control cases and to relate faecal particle size distribution to dental pathology in both study groups. A prospective study included 39 horses with large colon impaction and 72 control horses from a hospital-based population. An oral pathology score (OPscore) and periodontal disease index (PDI) were assigned to all horses and faecal samples were collected for estimating faecal particle size and analysis of particle size distribution. Horses with large colon impactions were not more severely affected by oral pathology than control horses for both OPscore (P = 0.2) and PDI (P = 0.3). Faecal particle size estimates were significantly higher in control animals (P <0.001). No significant association was found between faecal particle size estimates and OPscores in horses with large colon impaction or control horses. In horses with large colon impaction, faecal particle size estimates increased with increasing PDI (P = 0.05). No associations were found between dental pathology and faecal particle size estimates. Horses developing large colon impaction did not have worse dentition than control horses.