Comparative endoscopic evaluation of normal and ulcerated gastric mucosae inThoroughbred foals

[摘要] References(22)To contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of gastric ulcer of foals, we examined thegastric mucosa of healthy and affected foals using an endoscope. In healthy foals, thecharacteristic changes in the development of the squamous mucosa were seen mainly in thesquamous mucosa, and maturation of the squamous mucosa in the greater curvature (GC-S)occurred more slowly than that of the squamous mucosa in the lesser curvature (LC-S).Epithelial desquamation in the LC-S and GC-S was observed between 6 and 90 days but wasnot observed in the LC-S at about 60 days, whereas it was observed in the GC-S until 90days old. These findings suggest that there is a difference in the development of thegastric mucosa by region and that desquamation continues over a term longer than studieshave reported in the past. In the affected foals, the minimum age at which gastric ulcerwas observed was 4 days old. Gastric ulcers formed predominantly in the squamous mucosa(LC-S and GC-S) of foals with an immature mucosa before the weaning period,and the peak incidence occurred between 61 and 90 days old. The differences in theulceration sites were considered to depend on the difference in the development(maturation) stage of the squamous mucosa. The grading score of the gastric ulcerincreased with the growth of the affected foals. The gastric ulcer might be enhancedgreatly by stress in the weaning period.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] endoscopy;equine gastric ulcer;foal