Foreign bodies in horses refer to any non-native objects that enter the body, either through ingestion, inhalation, or penetration of the skin. These objects can range from plant material and metal fragments to plastic pieces and stones. Foreign bodies can cause a range of issues in horses, from mild irritation to severe health complications, depending on their location, size, and the duration they remain in the body. Ingested foreign bodies may lead to gastrointestinal obstruction or colic, while those that penetrate the skin can result in localized infections or abscesses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the identification, management, and outcomes of foreign body incidents in equine patients.
Bertone JJ, Dill SG.An ingested metallic foreign body migrated from the stomach and induced restrictive pericarditis in a horse. Necropsy revealed chronic abdominal and acute thoracic lesions. Although rare, ingested foreign body migration should be considered in the differential diagnosis of body cavity disease in horses.
Cartee RE, Rumph PF.The results from water-bath studies on equine muscle in which foreign material had been inserted and then scanned ultrasonographically were compared with the results from scanning of the muscles of horses hospitalized for diagnosis of suspected foreign objects embedded in muscle. The water-bath studies showed that bone, wood, and large tendons all will demonstrate acoustic shadowing, but that subtle differences in the characteristics of the relative hyperechogenicity and acoustic shadows facilitate elimination of certain considerations in the differential diagnosis. Ultrasonography was effecti...
van Wuijckhuise-Sjouke LA.This report describes fatal obstruction of the small colon of three horses. The obstructions were caused by irregularly shaped enteroliths of which the centres contained a foreign body, namely a guy-rope, a piece of baling twine , and a fishing-line, respectively. The diagnosis was made by post-mortem examination.
Boles CL, Kohn CW.OF 207 horses with colic seen over a 36-month period, 10 were determined to have impaction colic caused by ingestion of synthetic fencing material. In 6 cases, there was history of exposure to rubberized fencing products. All horses affected were less than or equal to 3 years of age, had signs of mild to moderate abdominal pain, and were unresponsive to usual symptomatic therapy. At surgery, each horse was found to have an impaction involving the distal right dorsal colon, transverse colon, or small colon, and in some cases, all 3 bowel segments. In 9 cases, the involved segment of bowel could...
Gift LJ, DeBowes RM.Nonhealing wounds can present a frustrating clinical challenge to the veterinary practitioner. In many cases, healing is delayed by the presence of a foreign body or sequestrum; a review of wounds complicated by the presence of osseous sequestration and penetrating foreign bodies is presented. The typical signs include delayed wound healing and the presence of serous to exudative drainage, which may vary from intermittent to continuous. The use of radiographic or sonographic imaging modalities is often of value in reaching a diagnosis. Removal of the sequestra or foreign body is generally cura...
van Wuijckhuise-Sjouke LA.This report describes fatal obstruction of the small colon of three horses. The obstructions were caused by irregularly shaped enteroliths of which the centres contained a foreign body, namely a guy-rope, a piece of baling twine , and a fishing-line, respectively. The diagnosis was made by post-mortem examination.
Abutarbush SM.This report describes 2 foals with esophageal laceration due to ingestion of foreign bodies. Endoscopic examination of the esophagus revealed full thickness esophageal laceration in 1 colt and partial thickness laceration of the esophagus in the other. The esophageal obstruction was relieved by repetitive esophageal lavages and flush under general anesthesia in both foals. Lacération et obstruction œsophagiennes causées par un corps étranger chez deux jeunes poulains âgés de moins de 1 an. Ce rapport décrit deux poulains âgés de moins de 1 an souffrant d’une lacération œsophagienn...
Adams R, Nixon A, Hager D.Real-time ultrasound was used to identify a foreign-body abscess causing an extraluminal esophageal obstruction in the neck of a horse. Surgical exploration to remove the foreign body and drain the abscess was performed after 2 months of medical management that had failed to resolve the problem. The abscess could not be visualized because there was no draining tract or other localizing sign of inflammation. Ultrasound was used aseptically to guide surgical dissection to the walled off abscess with minimal damage to adjacent vital structures in the surgical field. The signs of esophageal obstru...
Farr AC, Hawkins JF, Baird DK, Moore GE.To characterize features of diagnosis, treatment, and outcome in horses with foreign bodies, exclusive of enteric, inhaled, and foot-penetrating foreign bodies. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 37 horses with foreign bodies. Methods: The incidence of equine foreign bodies from 1990 through 2005 was determined by review of data from veterinary schools participating in the Veterinary Medical Database (VMDB). Medical records of horses with foreign bodies at Purdue University were reviewed, and the following information was retrieved: clinical history; signalment; results of physical, ...
Sjöberg I, Law E, Södersten F, Höglund OV, Wattle O.A 3D printed self-locking device made of polydioxanone (PDO) was developed to facilitate a standardized ligation technique. The subcutaneous tissue reaction to the device was evaluated after implantation in ten horses of mixed age, sex and breed and compared to loops of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA). In two of the horses, the implants were removed before closing the skin. The appearance of the implants and surrounding tissue was followed over time using ultrasonography. Implants were removed after 10 and 27 (± 1) days for histologic examination. Results: On macroscopic inspection at ...
