Crib Biting And Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome, Is There An Anatomical Link?

Abstract

Conclusions: This work demonstrates the possibility of creating apps which will allow smartphones to be developed into educational tools during colic consultations or teaching. Media can be created which might explain certain aspects of the physical examination, or be used to increase owner comprehension of causes of post-operative colic. (2002) identified an association between crib biting (CB) and EGUS in foals. Wickens et al. (2013) found mature CB horses had increased postprandial plasma gastrin levels, but observed no differences in EGUS prevalence between CB and non-CB horses.Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify if numbers of gastrin producing cells (G cells) in the stomach differed between crib-biting and non-crib-biting horses.Methods: Twenty-four horses (n = 24) intended for human consumption were recruited at a UK abattoir, 12 CB and 12 non-CB. Ages ranged from 3-22, mean 10 AE 7.62 years, 16 mares and 6 geldings, breeds comprised Thoroughbreds, Irish Sport Horses and UK Native breeds. Crib biting was defined by observing behaviour in lairage and dental pathology to the incisors. Stomachs were collected post slaughter and 1.5 9 1.5 cm samples taken in duplicate from the fundic and pyloric regions. Samples were processed histologically using H&E staining. G cell concentration was quantified using a 1-4 scoring method adapted from Creutzfeldt et al. (1976). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the fundic and pyloric regions separately.Results: Non-Glandular ulceration was identified in both CB and non-CB stomachs. There was no difference between G cell concentrations in the fundic region (P = 0.160) and no difference in the pyloric region (P = 0.137) between CB and non-CB horses.Conclusions: Our results suggest if there is a relationship between crib biting and EGUS it is not due to an innate difference in G cell distribution. Background: Equine inflammatory bowel disease (eqIBD) is a well-recognized but poorly understood disease complex. Granulomatous (GE) and eosinophilic enteritis (EE) are two entities of eqIBD. The effect eqIBD may exert on the enteric nervous system, both enteric neurons and glial cells, as well as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) has not previously been investigated.Objective: To evaluate immunohistochemical and histological changes in the ileum of horses with eqIBD.Methods: A segment of ileum was collected at necropsy from 14 Standardbred (STB) horses with clinical signs of IBD. From histological assessment, 8 were classified as GE and 6 as EE. Eight STB horses euthanized for reasons unrelated to the GI tract served as controls. Paraffin sections were H&E stained and labelled with a neuronal PGP9.5 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) marker, as well as with two markers of ICC (CD117 and TMEM16A) using standard immunohistochemical techniques. Image analysis was used to quantify expression of all markers. Anatomical areas assessed were the myenteric plexus and the circular muscle layer. A P-value of <0.05 was considered significant.Results: ICC networks in ...