TIFLITE PARASITÁRIA FATAL EM EQUINO - RELATO DE CASO.

This article aims to report an unusual case of equine colic associated with cecal lesions induced by parasite compatible with strongyles. A ten-year-old mare, Mangalarga Marchador breed, was attended with history of severe abdominal pain. Upon admission to the Veterinary Hospital, altered circulatory status and blackened feces were observed, in addition to the presence of cylindrical, reddish parasites less than 1 cm in length, consistent with cyathostomins. The patient had no history of deworming, and fecal egg count (FEC) resulted in 1,500 eggs per gram. Due to pain unresponsive to analgesia, the mare underwent exploratory celiotomy, revealing diffuse areas of infarction in the cecum and small colon, leading to euthanasia due to the severity and extent of the lesions. Histopathological analysis of tissue samples collected from the affected segments revealed multifocal tissue necrosis associated with hemorrhage, congestion, and inflammation, along with tubular filamentous structures compatible with cylindrical parasites in the cecum, leading to the diagnosis of parasitic necrohemorrhagic typhlitis. Studies suggest various possibilities regarding the pathogenesis of non-strangulating cecal infarction associated with strongyle parasitism, considered the main gastrointestinal endoparasites of horses and potential agents associated with colic, thus underscoring the need for effective strategies for parasite control in horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]