Jejunal intussusception in adult horses: 11 cases (1981-1991)

Medical records of 11 adult horses with jejunal intussusception examined at 5 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1981 and 1991 were reviewed. Nine of 11 horses had signs of acute abdominal discomfort for < 24 hours, whereas 2 horses had a history of chronic signs. Five of 11 horses had an intraluminal or intramural mass associated with the jejunal intussusception. Two horses died or were euthanatized prior to surgery. Partial jejunal resection and jejunojejunal anastomosis were performed in 9 horses. One horse died during surgery and 2 were euthanatized prior to hospital discharge because of postoperative complications. Four of the 6 horses that were discharged from the hospital survived from 16 months to 6 years and returned to their previous level of performance. One horse died 3 months after surgery from unknown causes, and 1 horse was lost to long-term follow-up evaluation.