Clinical Pathology in the Adult Sick Horse: The Gastrointestinal System and Liver

The gastrointestinal tract and liver comprise key components of the equine digestive system and together have important functions in metabolism, digestion, absorption, detoxification, and synthesis. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver are common in clinical practice and can cause a variety of clinical signs. Hematologic and biochemical analysis can be helpful for identifying organ dysfunction, narrowing down the differential diagnostic list, and monitoring progress and response to treatment. This article details hematologic and biochemical tests that are important in the evaluation of intestinal and hepatic diseases and reviews bloodwork trends frequently observed in adult horses affected by enteropathy or hepatopathy.