Equine cyathostomosis: case reports

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Twelve clinical cases of cyathostomosis in horses treated at the Equine Clinic University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, the Czech Republic, between the years 1999 and 2008 are described in this report. Six cases (50%) were hospitalized in the period from 2007 to 2008. Eleven of them were hospitalized in the period from December to March. Only one case was admitted in June, but the clinical signs had appeared for the first time in January. All horses described in these cases were younger than six years of age. Diarrhoea as a predominant clinical sign was present in four horses and colic in four horses. One horse showed both colic and diarrhoea whilst three horses had weight loss and subcutaneous oedema. Metabolic acidosis was found in three horses, eight patients had leucocytosis. Hypoproteinemia was found in four horses, hypoalbuminemia in seven horses, hypokalemia in three horses and increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in five horses. Seven horses recovered, one horse died and four horses were euthanized.

Larval cyathostominosis in a working donkey

“…Cyanthosomes are non-migrating parasites that live in the large intestine of donkeys, horses and zebra (Matthee et al 2000;Bodecek et al 2010). Adult small strongyles live in the large intestine particularly the cecum of donkeys.…”

“…However, some investigators previously considered cyathostomes as parasites with minimal pathogenic influence on the horses and donkeys (Lyons et al 1999) but, it has been shown that small strongyles create reactions such as catarrhal inflammation, hemorrhagic typhlitis or fibrinous enteritis in the cecum or other parts of the large intestine that may result in intestinal ulcers and possible perforation of the intestinal wall. The larvae of small strongyles encyst or burrow into deeper parts of the large intestine and this encysted stage remains for long periods of time and produces nodules in the deeper layers (Bodecek et al 2010). In some instances larval cyathostomins is associated with the sudden development of large numbers of cyathostome larvae in the wall of the large intestine and further severe clinical signs and advanced pathological changes.…”

Evaluación histopatológica del intestino de jabutis (Chelonoidis carbonarius y Chelonoidis denticulatus) criados en cautiverio y parasitados por helmintos (Chapiniella varibilis y Atractis thapari)

“…En la histopatología, puede haber una respuesta celular inflamatoria con poblaciones mixtas de células mononucleares y polimorfonucleares (Corning, 2009). En otros estudios se observó enteritis hemorrágica o fibrinosa en el ciego (Bodecek et al, 2010), enteritis no supurativa e infiltración de eosinófilos, linfocitos y macrófagos en la mucosa intestinal y submucosa, así como granulomas focales y multifocal en el intestino grueso (Oryan et al, 2013).…”

Approach to the adult horse with chronic diarrhoea

“…Microscopy for parasite eggs should be performed. Definitive diagnosis of larval cyathostominosis is sometimes challenging because the disease is caused by encysted larval stages of the parasite, meaning faecal examination can be unhelpful (Bodecek et al, 2010). Cyathostomin larvae may be visible by eye in the faeces or on the glove after rectal examination.…”