Page 781 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
P. 781
On occasions it is necessary to anaesthetise the horse and examine the intestines and lymph
nodes. A biopsy may be taken from any suspicious-looking tissues. Sometimes it is possible
VetBooks.ir for biopsies to be done in the standing patient at laparoscopy (see Castration on page 616),
which is a safer technique than subjecting the horse to a full general anaesthetic. However,
only a limited region of the intestine is accessible this way (Figure 17.14).
Figure 17.14 Laparoscopy
Rectal biopsy
Biopsy forceps are introduced into the rectum and a fold of the rectal wall is positioned
between the jaws. The sample is then taken and sent off for histology to look for abnormal
cells.
Post mortem
In some cases, the costs of the more specialized investigations are prohibitive, so the vet will
provide symptomatic treatment. If the treatment is not successful, the diagnosis may be made
at post mortem.
