Relazione tra parassitismo intestinale e colica nel paziente equino

Aim: Understanding the relationship between colic and intestinal parasites in horses, and the clinical significance of parasite infections. Study Design: surgical study, parasitologic. Methods: In this study 92 horses referred to the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences during the years 2009-2011 were examined. Twentyseven of these subjects underwent exploratory laparotomy for colic, 22 had a colic resolved with medical therapy, 43 horses were referred for problems different from acute abdomen. Coprological analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, were performed on 86 subjects. The data obtained were statistically summarized; Chi-square test and Kruskall-Wallis test for prevalence and abundance data, respectively, were then performed; logistic regression was used to highlight possible risk factors. Bowel content was collected for adult parasite collection from horses undergone exploratory celiotomy. Results: strongyles have significantly lower prevalence and intensity in horses undergoing abdominal surgery compared to the total examined population. Difference in prevalence was observed between horses treated with medical and surgical terapy. The only risk factor highlighted with logistic regression is represented by the age for colic surgically treated . Neither strongyles or ascarid seem to increase the risk of colic. The chance of death increases significantly in case of surgical colic but it is not related with parasite infections.