A survey of horses with acute diarrhoea: Diagnosis, assessment of the prognosis, and comparison of two antibiotic therapies

Summary Twenty horses, ponies, and foals referred with acute diarrhoea were divided at random into two treatment groups. One group was treated intravenously with trimethoprim /sulfadiazine and the other group with ampicillin/gentamicin. Both groups were given the same standardized symptomatic therapy. All animals were evaluated clinically and 5 variables (general impression, heart rate, rectal temperature, appetite, and consistency of the faeces) were estimated on a five point scale (0–4). Jugular blood samples were taken at admittance and at regular intervals for routine screening. Three blood variables (packed cell volume, white blood cell count, and base excess) were also classified in a 5‐point scale. The 'diarrhoea prognosis index’ was the total sum of the eight variables scaled. Faecal samples were cultured aerobically and examined for worm eggs and larvae. A definite diagnosis was only reached in 11 horses (55 %). Salmonellosis and parasitic infections were the most common causes of the diarrhoea. ...