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Abstract :
[en] Several rectal biopsy techniques have been reported in horses and sites vary between 15cm or 30cm from the anus, and on the rectal floor or roof. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of the technique performed with a uterine biopsy claw and the diagnostic value of rectal biopsies. Eight rectal biopsies, taken at 2H, 4H, 8H, 10H of the rectal wall respectively, each at both 15cm and 30cm from the anus, were taken pre-mortem with a uterine biopsy claw from 12 horses destined to euthanasia. Seven of these horses suffered from weight loss or chronic diarrhoea and 5 were control horses euthanized for non-digestive reasons. At the post-mortem samples of duodenum, ileum, caecum, colon and rectum were taken and the rectum was inspected for macroscopic lesions. Histopathology was performed on haematoxylin-eosin stained slides of all samples. Statistical analysis was performed with Fisher’s test. Sampling was considered easier at 2H for a right-handed person. Necropsies show that 91% of biopsies located 30cm from the anus and 48% of biopsies located 15cm were taken cranial of the retroperitoneal reflection. Hematomas (44%) existed especially on the ventral side. Inflammation at histology was significantly more important in rectal biopsies sampled at 30cm from the anus and in sick horses compared to 15cm and control horses respectively. The results of this study suggest that rectal biopsy could be an interesting ancillary test in horses with chronic diarrhoea or weight loss, but also shows the limits of the technique.
