[Establishment of a re-entrant ileo-cecal fistula in Equidae]

A re-entrant cannulation of the digestive tract was performed in Equidae (ponies and donkeys) between the distal extremity of the ileum and the base of the caecum. The operative technique was conceived to avoid risks of infection of the peritoneal cavity: the openings of the ileum and of the caecum were achieved only after the closure of the abdominal wall incision. Two donkeys were still alive ten months after the operation. This method can provide a convenient model for digestibility studies in Equidae, particularly for assessment of the pre-caecal digestibility.