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Equine colic: clinical epidemiology and associated risk factors in and around Debre Zeit

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Abstract

A prospective study was conducted to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic in the Society for Protection of Animal Abroad and Donkey Sanctuary Project Clinic, at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, from November 2014 to April 2015. The objectives were to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic, to characterize the main types of equine colic, and to determine the major risk factors associated with equine colic. The method which was used in the study was attending clinical case of equine and assessing physiological parameters, fecal egg count, abdominal sounds, and rectal examination as well as questioner interviewing of the owners. The data were collected and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science. The incidence of colic was 10.3% in the study period. Colicky were typed as unknown, flatulent, impaction, spasmodic, and enterolithiasis. The proportion of case incidence were 63.1 (41/65), 33.8 (22/65), and 3.1% (2/65), in donkey, horse, and mule, respectively. The total mean (±SD) of temperature 37.80 ± 1.003, heart rate 57.54 ± 10.098, fecal egg count 236.922 ± 67.990, respiratory rate 30.92 ± 7.315, and packed cell volume 41.40 ± 10.221 were recorded. The case fatality rate of equine colic was 15.38% (10/65). There were statistically highly significant (p < 0.01) differences in impaction colic in relation to species. Interview with 183 equine owners revealed incidence of equine colic as the sixth major disease condition affecting equine. A long-term epidemiological study of the true representative population should be carried out to determine the incidence rate and associated risk factors of equine colic in the study area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Wollega University, School of Veterinary Medicine for financial and material support. The authors would also like to thank the SPANA and DHWP in the college of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture in Addis Ababa University at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, for the support, finance, and permission for doing the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Livestock and Fishers Office of Oromia Region, Oromia, Ethiopia

    Yonas Worku

  2. Department of Animal Production and Technology, College Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

    Workneh Wondimagegn

  3. Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia

    Nigatu Aklilu & Zerihun Assefa

  4. Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Ayele Gizachew

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  1. Yonas Worku
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  2. Workneh Wondimagegn
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  3. Nigatu Aklilu
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  4. Zerihun Assefa
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  5. Ayele Gizachew
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Correspondence to Workneh Wondimagegn.

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Worku, Y., Wondimagegn, W., Aklilu, N. et al. Equine colic: clinical epidemiology and associated risk factors in and around Debre Zeit. Trop Anim Health Prod 49, 959–965 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1283-y

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