ILEUS AND DYSMOTILITY Ileus, or the lack of intestinal motility is associated with the absence of intestinal sounds, abdominal distention, and intolerance of oral feeds and characterized by gastric reflux. Abdominal ultrasonography helps identify absence of intestinal motility and the location and degree of intestinal distention. Ileus and the attending abdominal distention can cause severe colic and can induce respiratory distress in a weak or premature foal with pre-existing pulmonary compromise. Ileus in foals can be caused by the following: - Eletctrolyte disturbances from GI or renal disease - Lack of oxygen and/or blood - Impaction- ascarid (round worms) or other foreign objects - Peritonitis which is often secondary to other disease states - Enterocolitis - Endotoxemia Severely damaged bowel requires a period of gut rest to allow healing to occur before restarting oral feeds. Premature resumption of enteral feeding is associated with colic, maldigestion, diarrhea (often bloody), and translocation of intraluminal bacteria across damaged bowel wall into the bloodstream. Bowel obstruction is often due to the following: - Meconium impaction - Intussuception (telescoping bowel) - Ascarid impaction - Small intestinal volvulus Peritonitis - Intra-abdominal abscessation - Severe enteritis - Gastro-duodenal disease - Septicemia Enteritis - Rotavirus, Clostridium, Salmonella - Dietary changes Abdominal radiography may reveal gas-distended loops of small or large intestine. Ultrasound examination permits evaluation of bowel wall thickness, peritoneal fluid volume and echogenicity, gut patency, intramural (within the wall) gas accumulation, location and degree of intestinal distention and presence or absence of motility. Management of ileus includes: 1) Nasogastric decompression 2) Cessation or reduced volume and frequency of enteral feeds if gastric reflux is present 3) Parenteral (IV) feeding if enteral feeding can not be maintained. The gut atrophies without enteral feeding. 4) Enema administration to relieve distal meconium or fecal retention 5) Correction of any underlying electrolyte abnormalities 6) Exercise for ambulatory foals. 7) Judicious use of prokinetic agents. :) SHARE & LIKE foals! :) Fox Run Equine Center
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 20:00:00 +0000
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