Diagnostic approaches, aetiological agents and their associations with short‐term survival and laminitis in horses with acute diarrhoea admitted to referral institutions

Background An international description of the diagnostic approaches used in different institutions to diagnose acute equine diarrhoea and the pathogens detected is lacking. Objectives To describe the diagnostic approach, aetiological agents, outcome, and development of laminitis for diarrhoeic horses worldwide. Study design Multicentre retrospective case series. Methods Information from horses with acute diarrhoea presenting to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020, including diagnostic approaches, pathogens detected and their associations with outcomes, were compared between institutions or geographic regions. Results One thousand four hundred and thirty‐eight horses from 26 participating institutions from 4 continents were included. Overall, aetiological testing was limited (44% for Salmonella spp., 42% for Neorickettsia risticii [only North America], 40% for Clostridiodes difficile, and 29% for ECoV); however, 13% (81/633) of horses tested positive for Salmonella, 13% (35/262) for N. risticii, 9% (37/422) for ECoV, and 5% (27/578) for C. difficile. C. difficile positive cases had greater odds of non‐survival than horses negative for C. difficile (OR: 2.69, 95%CI: 1.23–5.91). In addition, horses that were positive for N. risticii had greater odds of developing laminitis than negative horses (OR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.12–6.81; p = 0.029). Main limitations Due to the study's retrospective nature, there are missing data. Conclusions This study highlighted limited diagnostic investigations in cases of acute equine diarrhoea. Detection rates of pathogens are similar to previous reports. Non‐survival and development of laminitis are related to certain detected pathogens. Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Eine internationale Beschreibung der in verschiedenen Institutionen verwendeten diagnostischen Vorgehensweisen in der Diagnostizierung von akuten Durchfallerkrankungen beim Pferd und der nachgewiesenen Pathogene ist nicht vorhanden. Ziel der Studie Die Beschreibung der diagnostischen Vorgehensweise, ätiologischen Erreger, klinischer Ergebnisse und Aufkommen von Hufrehe bei Pferden mit Durchfallerkrankung weltweit. Studiendesign Multizentrisch retrospektive Fallserie. Methodik Informationen von Pferden mit akuter Durchfallerkrankung, welche bei teilnehmenden Institutionen zwischen 2016 und 2020 vorstellig waren, inklusive diagnostischer Vorgehensweise, identifizierter Pathogene und deren Assoziationen zu klinischen Ergebnissen, wurden zwischen Institutionen und