Crib Biting and Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome: do horses that display oral stereotypies have altered gastric anatomy and physiology?

Daniels, Simon, Scott, L, De Lavis, I, Linekar, A and Hemmings, Andrew (2018) Crib Biting and Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome: do horses that display oral stereotypies have altered gastric anatomy and physiology? Journal Of Veterinary Behaviour, 30 (March). pp. 100-113. ISSN 1558-7878

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Abstract

Equine Gastric Ulceration Syndrome (EGUS) and Crib biting are two separate conditions suffered by horses. Previous research has hypothesised causal relationships between these two conditions, whereby the behavior is driven by a requirement to stimulate saliva production to buffer gastric juice. However to date there is limited empirical evidence to support this notion. To identify if the anatomy and physiology of the equid stomach differed in crib biting (CB) horses and non-crib biting controls (N-CB) a two part experiment was conducted using cadaver stomachs. Twenty four stomachs (n=12) CB and (n=12) N-CB were collected from an abattoir. Duplicate 1.5 cm squared sections were taken from the fundic and pyloric mucosa for histology and H&E staining to identify gastrin (G) producing cells. Slides were scored using an adapted four point scale. A further 18 stomachs, (n=9) CB and (n=9) N-CB were collected to test the pH of the mucosa and digesta from the fundic and pyloric regions. G cell concentrations were analysed by Mann Whitney U-46 test. Stomach content pH was analysed by one-way ANOVA and L.S.D post hoc. Relationships between digesta and mucosal pH were evaluated by correlation. In both parts of the study there was no difference between the G-cell concentration (P>0.05) and pH (P>0.05) between CB and N-CB horses. There was a positive correlation between digesta and the mucosal surface of pyloric region in CB horses (R2 0.66, P<0.001), but not in N-CB horses. These findings suggest, from cadavers, that CB and N-CB stomachs are not anatomically nor physiologically different. It is plausible that there is no direct inherent link between CB and EGUS rather that both conditions are linked to environmental and physiological stress.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Oral Stereotypies, Gastric Ulceration, Stress, Oxidative Stress, Stomach
Divisions: Equine Management and Science
Depositing User: Doctor Andrew Hemmings
Date Deposited: 07 Jan 2019 09:38
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2022 15:12
URI: https://rau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/16080

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