Proximal enteritis, or duodenitis-proximal jejunitis, is a clinical syndrome characterized by large volumes of gastric reflux resulting from excessive fluid and electrolyte secretion into the small intestine and small intestinal inflammation and edema.
Laminitis is an important potential sequela.
The cause is unknown but several bacteria and toxins including Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile), Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella, and fumonosin B1 mycotoxins have been implicated.
Ulcerative duodenitis is a disorder of foals resulting in fever, colic, diarrhea, and delayed gastric emptying.
Lawsonia intracellularis causes proliferative enteropathy in foals and weanlings, a disease characterized by hypoproteinemia, diarrhea, chronic ill thrift, and ventral edema.
Right dorsal colitis is typically a result of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug toxicity and results in hypoproteinemia and colic.
Cantharidin toxicity (blister beetles, Epicauta spp.) causes a wide range of clinical signs predominated by profuse diarrhea, stranguria and pollakiuria, and colic.
