title: Endoscopic findings of the stomach in pleasure horses in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was performed to determine the prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous and glandular mucosa in Polish pleasure horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records from gastroscopic examinations of 108 pleasure horses of different breeds were reviewed. The study population consisted of two groups; group I (n = 48) with horses that expressed mild clinical signs of gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) including poor appetite, slight weight loss or poor body condition, and group II (n = 60) with horses that had no signs of gastrointestinal problems. The age range was 4-10 years, including 5 males, 34 castrated males (geldings) and 69 mares. The prevalence, distribution and severity of gastric ulcers were recorded. Lesions involving the squamous mucosa and the glandular mucosa of the antrum and pylorus were graded and compared between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant difference was found in the presence and severity of gastric ulcers between the two groups of horses. The overall prevalence of gastric ulcers in the first group of horses (n = 48) was 59% while in the group of clinically healthy horses (n = 60) the prevalence of gastric lesion was 40% (P = 0.004). Almost 19% of horses from group I had between 6-10 lesions (EGUS score III) and nearly 19% had either >10 localized lesions or very large diffuse lesions (EGUS number score IV). The number of ulcerations in affected horses were significantly lower in group II compared to group I (P = 0.016) as 10% of horses had 6-10 lesions (EGUS number score III) and nearly 14% had either >10 localized lesions or very large diffuse lesions (EGUS number score IV). Gastroscopy revealed that nearly 32% of horses from the second group had an ulceration EGUS score ≥ II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that gastric ulcerations can be prevalent in apparently clinically normal pleasure horses and a complete gastroscopic examination including the examination of the pylorus is advisable to evaluate this syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases with Clinic for Horses, Dogs and Cats, The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 47, Wrocław 50-366, Poland. artur.niedzwiedz@up.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niedźwiedź
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubiak
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nicpoń
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
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