When early 2011 Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo was scratched from the field just a few days before the race, many horse racing enthusiasts were left scratching their heads. His connections said the colt had a gastrointestinal tract infection; However no further diagnosis had been reached despite continued veterinary examination. Finally, an answer came several weeks after Uncle Mo’s Derby scratch: Veterinarians diagnosed the colt with cholangiohepatits, a relatively rare condition in horses.

Essentially, cholangiohepatitis (CH) is an inflammation of the bile system (cholangitis) and liver (hepatitis). There is no particular breed or discipline predilection for developing CH.