Retrospective Study

Diagnostic parameters for clinical larval cyathostominosis in horses

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to find the most significant parameters to identify horses with larval cyathostominosis, caused by infection with small strongyles. A retrospective study with 307 horses, that were presented at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Ghent University) between 2008 and 2018, was performed. Horses older than three months with diarrhea, of which feces was examined at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, were included in this study. The definitive diagnosis of larval cyathostominosis was determined by the presence of L4/L5 larvae in the feces. Clinical examinations, blood and fecal analyses were performed in all cases and compared to determine positive predictive values for larval cyathostominosis. Blood albumin concentration appeared to be the most significant value. Albumin concentrations less than 20 g/L had the highest significance (<0.004) to predict a positive fecal sample. The combination of an albumin concentration less than 20 g/L, sex (female), body temperature (>38.2°C), neutrophilia (>67%) and season (October-March) was the most accurate (72%) in predicting the presence of larval cyathostominosis. Due to the moderate significance of this model, fecal examination remains essential to confirm larval cyathostominosis suspicion.