No one will argue that prevention is better than cure and early intervention is certainly preferable to watching an equine partner go from not feeling 100% to being completely sidelined. Ontario Veterinary College researcher Dr. Luis Arroyo is embarking on a very interesting collaborative study that may result in the ability to detect the first signs of gastro-intestinal disease, allowing for better management and faster treatment of GI issues.
Intestinal diseases are the leading cause of death in horses. Developing PCR testing to screen for biomarkers could be a game-changer that could potentially provide speedy, economical early diagnostics and early treatment.
Together with research partner Dr. Marcio Costa from the University Of Montreal, the researchers will be looking for biomarkers that indicate changes in the inhabitants of the equine gut that take place during the early onset of illness.