La Chapelle en Serval, France Pancreatic lesions can be due to migration of Strongylus equinus larvae. Horses with pancreatitis experience rapid weight loss, but good appetite. There is no elevation of bilirubin or biliary acids. Determination of lipase seems to be interesting , but not very diagnostic.
Diarrhea seems to be due to transit acceleration due to exocrine pancreatic malfunction.
In advanced cases, the rear legs may be trembling, which may be due to glucidic metabolism alteration. This needs to be explored in the future. With no available anthelmintic for the larval stage of Strongylus equinus, it is important to set up a good preventive program. Verminous pancreatitis seems to be essentialy a pathology of grazing horses, and all animals in the same pasture have the disease. Is the increase in incidence, due to better diagnostic efficiency, or due to some other factors.