Acute diarrhea in horses: A multicenter Canadian retrospective study (2015 to 2019)

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Equine Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Acute diarrhea is a common reason for hospitalizing horses.
• Understanding factors influencing survival is crucial for improving outcomes in diarrheic horses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate clinicopathological findings, diagnostics, treatments, and survival factors in diarrheic horses.
• To assess the consistency of diagnostic approaches for enteropathogens in Canadian veterinary teaching hospitals.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 300 diarrheic horses admitted to 4 Canadian university teaching hospitals (2015-2019).
• Analysis of clinicopathological data, diagnostic test results, treatments, and survival outcomes.
• Multivariable regression modeling to identify factors associated with non-survival.

Main Results:

• Overall survival to discharge was 70%.
• Enteropathogens were identified in 14% of cases, with higher detection rates (29%) in hospitals with more extensive testing.
• Neorickettsia risticii was the most frequent pathogen detected.
• Colic signs, increased heart rate, packed cell volume, creatinine, and decreased total protein were associated with non-survival.

Conclusions:

• Diagnostic approaches for enteropathogens in diarrheic horses lack standardization across Canadian veterinary teaching hospitals.
• Limited pathogen detection rates suggest underdiagnosis or inadequate testing protocols.
• Colic, severe dehydration, endotoxemia, and hypoproteinemia are significant indicators of poor prognosis in diarrheic horses.