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Exploratory celiotomy for gastrointestinal disease in neonatal foals: A review of 20 cases
Author(s) -
ADAMS RAGAN,
KOTERBA ANNE M.,
BROWN M. P.,
CUDD T. C.,
BAKER W. A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01442.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gastrointestinal disease , disease , gastrointestinal system , intensive care medicine
Summary The medical records of 20 neonatal foals in which exploratory celiotomies were performed for gastrointestinal disease were reviewed. In all 20 foals, persistent pain and/or progressive abdominal distension were the primary clinical findings influencing the decision to operate. However, ancilliary laboratory data were important to the proper medical management of these foals during anaesthesia and following surgery. Surgical diagnoses of the 20 foals included ileus (nine foals; 45 per cent), small colon obstruction (five foals; 25 per cent), large colon displacement (three foals; 15 per cent), small intestinal displacement (two foals; 10 per cent), and perforated gastric ulcer (one foal; 5 per cent). Seventeen foals were recovered from anaesthesia, 13 of these were discharged from the hospital, seven were alive six months or more following discharge. Sepsis was the cause of death in six of the 10 foals that died following recovery.