Is it the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or endotoxemia in horses with colic?

Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2014 Aug;30(2):337-51, vii-viii. doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.003. Epub 2014 Jun 4.

Abstract

Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and caution advised on extrapolating findings from other species to the horse.

Keywords: Endotoxin; Innate immunity; Lipopolysaccharide; Systemic inflammation; Toll-like receptors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Colic / diagnosis
  • Colic / veterinary*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Endotoxemia / diagnosis
  • Endotoxemia / veterinary*
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Horses