Necrosis in horses refers to the localized death of cells or tissues within the body, often resulting from factors such as injury, infection, or compromised blood supply. This pathological process can affect various tissues, including skin, muscle, and internal organs. Necrosis may manifest as visible lesions, swelling, or tissue discoloration, and can lead to further complications if not addressed. Understanding the underlying causes and mechanisms of necrosis is important for effective management and treatment in equine veterinary practice. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the causes, mechanisms, and implications of necrosis in horses, providing insights into diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Bernard W, Divers TJ, Whitlock RH, Messick J, Tulleners E.Clostridium botulinum and type-B C botulinum toxin were isolated from a necrotic wound that developed subsequent to castration in a 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. The horse had clinical signs of botulism and was successfully treated with wound debridement, C botulinum type-B antitoxin, potassium penicillin, and supportive care.
Owen RA, Jagger DW.Clinical observations on the use of BCG cell wall fraction in oil for treating seven horses with periocular sarcoids and five horses with sarcoids in other regions are described. Therapy was successful when used for periocular or solitary and smaller sarcoids. For sarcoids previously treated with cryosurgery, therapy appeared to be less efficient. A horse with a sarcoid on the stifle developed a septic gonitis due to necrosis of the sarcoid tissue adjacent to the joint. Sarcoids of the axilla appeared to be more aggressive than sarcoids at other locations and did not respond favourably to this...
Vasey JR, Julian RJ.The distal 30 to 40 cm of the ileum cannot be exteriorized through a midline laparotomy incision because of its close anatomical association with the base of the caecum. A method was developed to deal with those cases where this segment of small intestine was involved in an avascular, necrotic process and therefore required resection. The technique involves inverting the distal stump of ileum into the lumen of the caecum and then performing a routine ileocaecal or jejunocaecal anastomosis. This avoids the risk of peritonitis if a Parker-Kerr oversew of the necrotic ileal stump should dehisce. ...
Divers TJ, Whitlock RH, Byars TD, Leitch M, Crowell WA.Six horses had been admitted to the hospital because of illness other than renal failure; diarrhoea, myositis, abdominal pain and/or suspected bacterial sepsis. Hypotension and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy were frequent findings in the horses. Abnormally high serum creatinine concentration and urine specific gravity of less than 1.022 were found in the horses with acute renal failure. Hyponatraemia and hypochloraemia were the most common abnormal electrolyte findings. Pronounced hyperkalaemia was not found. Variable degrees of tubular necrosis were seen in three of the four horses t...
White NA, Tyler DE, Blackwell RB, Allen D.Records of 20 horses with small intestinal disease causing acute colic and affecting the proximal portion of the small intestine were examined retrospectively. The disease was characterized by severe to moderate pain, which was replaced by depression, fever, gastric reflux, slight distention of the affected small intestine, leukocytosis, and high concentrations of total protein in the peritoneal fluid. Grossly, the affected intestines were hemorrhagic and had yellow discoloration. Histopathologic findings included submucosal edema, neutrophilic infiltration of the submucosal and laminal propri...
Grabner A.Mycosis of the guttural pouches is a sporadic disease characterized by diphtheroid-necrotizing inflammation, and is caused by different fungal species, mainly by Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Candida spp. Highest incidence is during summer in stable horses. Proper diagnosis often requires--besides detection by mycological techniques--histological examination of tissue obtained by bioptic endoscopy. Prognosis is hopeless in late stages of the infection because of the erosion of the carotid artery or accompanied by the fatal complications of a not reparable cranial nerve damage also in ...
Liggett AD, Weiss R, Blue JL.Myospherulosis was diagnosed in a mature pony. Several parent bodies containing many spherules were observed microscopically in biopsy material from an area of cellulitis. The spherules are altered red blood cells that form as the result of prolonged contact with necrotic fat or petrolatum-based ointments. These structures must be differentiated from fungal elements. The recommended treatment is surgical excision.
Saltiel A, Gutierrez A, de Buen-Llado N, Sosa C.After parturition, Thoroughbred mares were mated at the first post-partum oestrus (N = 24) or at a subsequent oestrus (N = 12). All mares were examined daily for: oestrous detection, palpation per rectum of the genital tract, vaginoscopic examination and cervico-endometrial cytology. Pregnancy diagnosis was carried out at Days 18, 35 and 45 after mating. An identical first service conception rate of 50% was found in both groups. The number of neutrophils followed a descending profile to only scattered cells at the first post-partum oestrus and in Group II mares remained at this very low level ...
van Dyk E, Lange AL.Fifty ml of a 0.2% iodine solution were instilled into the uteri of six mares selected for culling. Biopsy specimens were taken for microscopic examination before the commencement of the experiment and at various times over the course of a year after the single instillation. Severe oedema and haemorrhage was present in the lamina propria of all the post-instillation biopsy specimens. The epithelium showed vacuolisation and necrosis, as well as focal areas of epithelial loss. In some cases hyperplasia or metaplasia was seen. Cell infiltration was characterized by the presence of neutrophils, eo...
Dein FJ, Carpenter JW, Clark GG, Montali RJ, Crabbs CL, Tsai TF, Docherty DE.Of 39 captive whooping cranes (Grus americana), 7 died during a 7-week period (Sept 17 through Nov 4, 1984) at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Md. Before their deaths, 4 cranes did not develop clinical signs, whereas the other 3 cranes were lethargic and ataxic, with high aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and lactic acid dehydrogenase activities, and high uric acid concentrations. Necropsies indicated that the birds had ascites, intestinal mucosal discoloration, fat depletion, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and visceral gout. Microscopically, extensive necrosis an...
Howard-Martin M, Morton RJ, Qualls CW, MacAllister CG.A 1-day old, full-term foal with a history of colic died 2 hours after admission. Necropsy revealed an extremely flaccid, fluid-filled intestinal tract. Histopathologically, the superficial intestinal mucosa was completely necrotic, with minimal inflammatory response. Numerous large, gram-positive rods covered the villi. Clostridium perfringens was isolated on bacteriologic culturing of the intestinal tract contents and was identified as type C by toxin neutralization tests.
Baxter GM.Clinical data from 12 cases of equine laminitis characterized by distal displacement of the distal phalanx (P3) were reviewed. Clinical features of horses that survived the syndrome were compared with the nonsurvivors to obtain prognostic indicators. Animals affected included 8 Quarter Horses, 2 Welsh ponies, 1 Thoroughbred, and 1 Arabian. Eight of the animals were females (67%), 2 were stallions, and 2 were geldings. The mean age of affected animals was 8.6 years (2 to 14 years), and the mean body weight was 442 kg. The survivors weighed less than the nonsurvivors (384 kg vs 473 kg, respectiv...
Cordes DO, Perry BD, Rikihisa Y, Chickering WR.Potomac horse fever was reproduced in 15 ponies by transfusion of whole blood originally from two natural cases and subsequently from ponies infected by the transfusions. Incubation periods varied from 9 to 15 days. Affected ponies developed varying degrees of fever, diarrhea, anorexia, depression, and leukopenia. Eleven affected ponies were killed, three died in the acute phase of the disease, and one did not show clinical signs. The most consistent post-mortem findings were fluid contents in the cecum and large colon, and areas of hyperemia (of inconstant degree and distribution) in mucosae ...
Pearson EG, Hedstrom OR, Sonn R, Wedam J.A 4-day-old foal died with bloody diarrhea. Using a mouse neutralization test, Clostridium perfringens type C was isolated from intestinal contents, and alpha and beta toxins were identified. About 4 m of the jejunum had severe necrohemorrhagic enteritis. Microscopically, large, rod-shaped, gram-positive bacteria were seen on necrotic intestinal villi by use of Brown and Hopp's stains.
Dubey JP, Miller S.A 10-year-old pony died 5 days after the onset of a nervous disorder. Necropsy revealed a yellowish area of discoloration (1.5 by 1 cm) in the medulla oblongata. Microscopically, necrosis and nonsuppurative myeloencephalitis were found in the medulla oblongata. Immature and mature meronts (25 by 10 microns) were seen in neural tissue and in capillaries of the brain stem. Organisms were similar structurally to those seen in equine protozoal myeloencephalitis of horses.
Dubey JP, Porterfield ML.Multifocal areas of necrosis and infiltrations of mononuclear cells were seen in lung specimens of an equine fetus aborted 2 months before term. Extracellular and intracellular protozoa were seen in the alveolar tissue. Individual organisms were 4 microns by 2.5 microns, and cyst-like structures were 25 microns by 18 microns. Organisms did not stain with periodic acid-Schiff or by use of the immunoperoxidase and peroxidase-antiperoxidase method for Toxoplasma gondii. Twelve days after abortion, the mare had serum antibody titer of less than 1:10 against T gondii.
Markel MD, Madigan JE, Lichtensteiger CA, Large SM, Hornof WJ.Over a 4-year period, vertebral body abscess was diagnosed in 5 young cattle. The laboratory findings in most of these cases did not suggest a diagnosis of vertebral body abscess. The most important basis for diagnosis of this condition was a thorough neurologic examination. In 4 cases, necropsy revealed abscesses in the lungs or thoracic cavity as well, suggesting that a history of pneumonia preceding paresis may favor the diagnosis of vertebral body abscess.
Markel MD, Orsini JA, Gentile DG, Freeman DE, Tulleners EP, Harrison IW.Four horses operated on for left dorsal displacement of the large colon (LDDLC) had major intraoperative or postoperative complications. One horse was euthanatized during surgery because of extensive necrosis of the large colon. Three horses that were discharged after surgical correction of LDDLC were readmitted with signs of abdominal pain between 5 weeks and 13 months after surgery. Two horses had recurrence of LDDLC, and the third horse had an omental adhesion attached to and obstructing the pelvic flexure. The displacements were corrected, the adhesion was broken down, and the horses were ...
Little PB, Thorsen J, Moore W, Weninger N.Powassan virus strain M794, a member of the Flavivirus genus known to infect man and animals in Canada, was inoculated intracerebrally into rabbits and horses. No clinical signs were observed in rabbits, but widespread encephalitis resulted, characterized by lymphoid perivascular cuffing, lymphocytic meningitis, and lymphocytic choroiditis. In horses, eight days after inoculation, prominent neurological signs occurred and lesions were those of non-suppurative encephalomyelitis, neuronal necrosis, and focal parenchymal necrosis. The virus could not be reisolated from the rabbit or horse brains....
Tulleners EP, Becht JL, Richardson DW, Divers TJ.Obstructive choledocholithiasis in a 12-year-old mare was corrected surgically by choledocholithotripsy. The mare had a history of chronic weight loss, intermittent fever, partial anorexia, jaundice, recurrent abdominal pain, and an abdominal mass palpable per rectum. Values for alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and bromsulpthalein half-life were increased and bilirubinuria was evident before surgery. Two liver biopsies revealed periportal and portal fibrosis, bile duct proliferation, cholestasis, and variable amounts of hepatocellular necrosi...
Sims LD, Tzipori S, Hazard GH, Carroll CL.Two foals aged 35 and 48 h from 2 Thoroughbred studs died several hours after developing clinical signs of depression, severe haemorrhagic diarrhoea and dehydration. Both foals had an acute haemorrhagic enteritis extending from the anterior jejunum to the terminal ileum which was characterised histologically by villus necrosis. Necrotic villi were surrounded by large numbers of rod-shaped Gram positive bacteria. Clostridium perfringens was recovered from the intestines of both foals and the isolates were considered to be C. perfringens type C. Other cases of diarrhoea were also observed in foa...
Van der Lugt JJ, Coetzer JA, Jordaan P, Marlow CH.Tyzzer's disease was diagnosed histologically in two foals, a 4-week-old Thoroughbred cross and a 6-week-old Arabian foal. Clinically both foals were in good health prior to a short illness lasting only a few hours. The liver lesions in both foals were characterized microscopically by multiple foci of necrosis. Variable numbers of elongated slender intracytoplasmic bacilli resembling Bacillus piliformis were demonstrated within hepatocytes bordering the necrotic foci.
Trent AM, Krook L.Bilateral degenerative coxofemoral joint disease and noninflammatory osteonecrosis in the femoral heads were diagnosed in a 5-month-old Standardbred colt. Cytologic evaluation and bacterial cultures of coxofemoral synovial fluid, and radiographic and pathologic examination of the coxofemoral joints were conducted. The cause was not determined; however, a thrombus found in association with 1 focus of osteonecrosis was suspected as an etiologic factor.
van der Linde-Sipman JS, Kroneman J, Meulenaar H, Vos JH.Four horses are described with rupture of the aortic arch and pulmonary trunk which resulted in a fistula between these vessels. Ruptures were located near the ligamentum arteriosum. Histological examination of the vessel walls revealed media necrosis which was probably due to intimal thickening and/or medial fibrosis of the vasa vasorum.
Rose PL, Watkins JP, Auer JA.A comminuted, mid-diaphyseal femoral fracture was diagnosed radiographically in a 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt. Disruption of the distal blood supply was suspected, as evidenced by coolness and diminished pulses of the distal portion of the limb. The fracture was repaired by compression plating but the foal's condition continued to deteriorate. A femoral arteriogram of the affected limb was obtained. Positive contrast agent was visible only as far as the mid-shaft of the femur. The foal was euthanatized and the postmortem examination revealed a transected popliteal artery accounting for isch...
Rebhun WC, Tennant BC, Dill SG, King JM.Renal toxicosis attributable to vitamin K3 (menadione sodium bisulfite) was suspected in 5 young adult horses in which acute renal failure developed following parenteral administration of vitamin K3 at the manufacturers' recommended dosages. Renal disease was subsequently induced experimentally in 5 of 6 horses by administration of vitamin K3 at manufacturers' recommended dosages. Signs of renal disease in the clinical patients as well as in the horses treated experimentally included renal colic, hematuria, azotemia, and electrolyte abnormalities consistent with acute renal failure. Two clinic...
Coignoul FL, Cheville NF.Six pregnant mares were given equine viral arteritis virus intravenously. Tissues from genital tracts, placentae, and fetuses were examined by light and electron microscopy to study the mechanism of abortion. Four mares which died with acute disease had diffuse vacuolation of endometrial epithelium and systemic necrotizing vasculitis. Two of these mares had dead fetuses and two had live fetuses; virus was isolated from tissues of one live fetus. Placentae of mares dying from acute disease did not have lesions attributable to infection; virus was isolated from two of these placentae. One of the...
Mullaney TP, Brown CM, Watson GL, Brandt LA.An apparently new and emerging fatal hepatic disease affecting foals is described. Characteristics included evidence of hepatic failure, marked biliary hyperplasia, hepatocellular necrosis and occasionally fibrosis. Generally, the features of the disease appear to differ markedly from other hepatic diseases of neonatal foals.
Rose PL, Watkins JP, Auer JA.A comminuted, mid-diaphyseal femoral fracture was diagnosed radiographically in a 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt. Disruption of the distal blood supply was suspected, as evidenced by coolness and diminished pulses of the distal portion of the limb. The fracture was repaired by compression plating but the foal's condition continued to deteriorate. A femoral arteriogram of the affected limb was obtained. Positive contrast agent was visible only as far as the mid-shaft of the femur. The foal was euthanatized and the postmortem examination revealed a transected popliteal artery accounting for isch...
Broome TA, Allen D, Baxter GM, Pugh DG, Mahaffey E.A 2-year-old Arabian filly was referred for evaluation of a serosanguineous vaginal discharge. Palpation per rectum revealed a large, fluid-filled uterus and a uterine mass. The filly developed septic metritis and secondary laminitis as a result of torsion and necrosis of a pedunculated uterine mass. Ovariohysterectomy was performed. The entire cervix was removed with the uterus. Gross examination of the excised uterus revealed 3 intraluminal masses. Histologic evaluation identified the tumors as fibroleiomyoma. The filly recovered completely, and there was no recurrence of the tumor.
Perryman LE, Liu IK.Nine foals with combined immunodeficiency were given hepatic and thymus cells from 68- to 110-day-old (gestational age) fetuses or peripheral blood lymphocytes from nonrelated horses. Clinical signs and lesions consistent with graft vs host reaction were observed in eight of the foals. Diarrhea was observed in these 8 foals, and ulcerative dermatitis, stomatitis, or glossitis was detected in 6 of the 8 foals. Histopathologic changes consisting of necrosis and lymphocyte infiltration were observed in liver, skin, alimentary tract, and less frequently in lymphoid tissues. Changes in complete blo...
Tanimoto T, Yamasaki S, Ohtsuki Y.A well-demarcated solitary splenic mass (20 x 20 x 15 cm in size) containing hemorrhagic and necrotic foci was observed in a 4-year-old Thoroughbred stallion. Histologically, the mass consisted of lymphoma cells of the diffuse large non-cleaved type, with a high mitotic index and scattered macrophages that formed a starry sky pattern. The lymphoma cells revealed diffuse positivity for acid phosphatase and alpha naphthyl butyrate esterase, and were also positive for intracytoplasmic IgM on occasion, and mostly for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Ultrastructural examination revealed moderate...
Jenner F, Edwards RB, Voss JR, Southwood L, Markel MD, Richardson DW.To evaluate the use of hydrothermal ablation of articular cartilage for arthrodesis in horses through investigation of the effects of joint lavage with physiologic saline (0.9% NaCI) solution (80 degrees C) for various treatment times on chondrocyte viability in the articular cartilage of the metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of cadaveric horse limbs. Sample Population-7 pairs of metacarpophalangeal and 8 pairs of metatarsophalangeal joints from 8 Thoroughbreds. Methods: The horses were euthanatized for reasons unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. On a random basis, 1 joint o...
Schmotzer WB, Hultgren BD, Huber MJ, Watrous BJ, Riebold TW, Wagner PC, Shires GM.The efficacy of eliminating parotid salivary secretions by retrograde infusion of 10% formalin, 2% chlorhexidine, or 2% or 3% silver nitrate solutions was evaluated in 10 horses. Solutions were kept within the parotid salivary gland for 90 seconds after infusion through parotid duct cannulae and then allowed to drain freely. Severed parotid ducts and surgical incisions were left to heal by second intention. All agents eliminated glandular secretions. There was less necrosis and suppurative inflammation after formalin infusion than after chlorhexidine and silver nitrate. Silver nitrate (2% and ...
Jennings SH, Wise AG, Nickeleit V, Maes RK, Cianciolo RE, Del Piero F, Law JM, Kim Y, McCalla AC, Breuhaus BA, Roberts MC, Linder KE.Polyomaviruses produce latent and asymptomatic infections in many species, but productive and lytic infections are rare. In immunocompromised humans, polyomaviruses can cause tubulointerstitial nephritis, demyelination, or meningoencephalitis in the central nervous system and interstitial pneumonia. This report describes 2 Standardbred horses with tubular necrosis and tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with productive equine polyomavirus infection that resembles BK polyomavirus nephropathy in immunocompromised humans.
Taylor BM, Chaffin MK, Hoffmann AR, Edwards JF, Arenas-Gamboa AM.Prolonged exposure to water, known as immersion foot syndrome in humans, is a phenomenon first described in soldiers during World War I and characterized by dermal ischemic necrosis. In this report, we describe the pathologic findings of a condition resembling immersion foot syndrome in 5 horses and 1 donkey with prolonged floodwater exposure during Hurricane Harvey. At necropsy, all animals had dermal defects ventral to a sharply demarcated "water line" along the lateral trunk. In 5 animals, histologic examination revealed moderate to severe perivascular dermatitis with vasculitis and coagula...
McGavin MD, Knake R.A 35-kg Duroc pig died 3 days after eating a ration containing aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2. It had hemorrhagic enteritis and extensive midzonal necrosis in the liver. A 13-year-old Quarterhorse that died 2 days after eating moldy hay had hemorrhagic enteritis, fatty degeneration of the myocardium and renal tubules, and extensive total midzonal necrosis of the liver.
Gelberg HB, Smetzer DL, Foreman JH.Four young horses of various breeds and suffering from atrial fibrillation died of heart failure. All had markedly high pulmonary arterial pressure, right-sided cardiomegaly, and lack of histologic lesions in the right atrium or pulmonary parenchyma. Three horses had hypertrophy and/or necrosis of the tunica media of the pulmonary vasculature. Clinical signs of disease, physiologic data, and pathologic findings indicated that these horses had primary pulmonary hypertension with secondary right-sided cardiac ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.
Valentine BA, Löhr CV.Three horses with colic, clinical evidence of endotoxaemia and high serum activities of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase were examined postmortem. The horses were diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis, pyloric ulceration and stenosis with colonic sand impaction, and colonic obstruction due to faecaliths. There was no gross or histological evidence of muscle trauma. Their semimembranosus muscles had scattered acute to subacute segmental necrosis of the myofibres, suggestive of endotoxin-induced muscle injury.
Faccin M, Landsgaard KA, Milliron SM, Jennings AH, Keith Chaffin M, Giaretta PR, Rech RR.A 1.5-year-old American quarter horse gelding (case 1) and an 11-month-old American quarter horse filly (case 2) were presented for acute onset pelvic lameness and lethargy. Case 1 had nasal discharge, while case 2 developed rapid muscle atrophy. Both horses had elevated serum creatine kinase activity. The horses showed similar polyphasic histiocytic and lymphoplasmacytic myositis with necrosis, mineralization, and regeneration. Additionally, case 1 had Streptococcus equi subsp. equi-induced suppurative retropharyngeal lymphadenitis with renal purpura hemorrhagica and myoglobinuric nephropathy...
Oikawa M, Yoshihara T, Kaneko M, Yoshikawa T.The morphology of the equine allantochorion at the tip of the pregnant horn was studied in the membranes of 14 mares. The findings in the allantochorion at the tip of the pregnant horn were of two types; one was growth retardation (hypoplastic villi, tunica adventitia of the vessels resembling embryonal connective tissue and the extended spaces of remnants of the extraembryonic coelom), the other was placental hypoxia or ischaemia (parakeratosis, stratified squamous metaplasia, necrosis of the trophoblasts, thickening of the basement membrane and fibrous hyperplasia of villous stroma). It seem...
van den Hoven P, Meijer AE, Breukink HJ, Wensing T.Muscle biopsies from six horses with clinical histories of muscle atrophy, muscle tremors, myopathic symptoms, unsteadiness of pelvic limbs and progressive ataxia were examined. Muscle biopsies were studied with enzyme histochemical techniques to evaluate the diagnostic values of these methods in cases suspected of suffering from neuromuscular disorders. Hypertrophy, atrophy, fibre splitting, waxy degeneration, phagocytosis and necrosis were seen in haematoxylin eosin stained sections of the different cases. Fibre type predominance and fibre type grouping were seen in the calcium ion stimulate...
Kay AT, Hunt RJ, Rodgerson DH, Spirito MA, Santschi EM, Payne RJ.To describe the characteristics of osteomyelitis lesions of the patella and to report short- and long-term outcome after treatment in 8 foals. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Foals (n = 8). Methods: Medical records (2003-2007) and radiographs of foals that had osteomyelitis of the patella were reviewed. Inclusion criteria included clinical, radiographic, and surgical findings consistent with osteomyelitis of the patella, and a long-term follow-up of >15 months. Information acquired included signalment, hematologic and serum biochemical profile results, clinical and radiographic si...
Nixon AJ, Krook LP, Roth JE, King JM.A pulsed carbon dioxide laser was used to vaporize articular cartilage in four horses, and perforate the cartilage and subchondral bone in four horses. Both intercarpal joints were examined arthroscopically and either a 1 cm cartilage crater or a series of holes was created in the third carpal bone of one joint. The contralateral carpus served as a control. After euthanasia at week 8, the treated and control joints were examined for gross changes, and samples of cartilage and subchondral bone, synovial membrane, and peripheral lymph nodes were examined histologically. Depletion of cartilage ma...
Moeller RB, Crossley B, Pipkin A, Li Y, Balasuriya UBR.A 2-y-old female Grant's zebra ( Equus quagga [ burchellii] boehmi) was presented with a clinical history of depression, anorexia, and weakness of 1-wk duration. Postmortem examination identified ulcers on the tongue and palate; a large abscess adjacent to the larynx; left lung consolidation; mild swelling, darkening, and congestion of the liver with accentuation of the lobular pattern; and edema and congestion of the distal small and large intestines. Histologic examination identified necrotizing bronchopneumonia, necrotizing hepatitis, nephritis, and enterocolitis. Eosinophilic intranuclear ...
Drommer W, Damsch S, Winkelmeyer S, Hertsch B, Kaup FJ.In 25 adult horses the podotrochlea of 49 forelimbs was examined by means of light and electron microscopy in order to correlate clinical and morphological findings. According to the clinical diagnosis the animals were divided into three groups: lameness due to syndrome of podotrochlosis (group 1) or due to tendopathy (group 2) and horses without lameness (group 3). The most striking pathological findings of the navicular bone and the opposite surface of the deep flexor tendon were found in horses with podotrochlosis, consisting of loss of cartilage and tendon matrix with denudation of collage...
Linhares Boakari Y, El-Sheikh Ali H, Dini P, Loux S, Barbosa Fernandes C, Esteller-Vico A, Scoggin K, Lawrence L, Ball B.An intravenous large dose of protein led to an increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), resulting in a lesser uterine pH and altered uterine gene expression in mares. The objective of the present study was to evaluate effects of a more physiological methodology to increase BUN on the endometrium of mares. Mares were fed hay and a treatment or control diet (n = 11 mares/treatment) in a crossover design starting at time of ovulation detection (D0) and continuing until D7. Mares of the treated group were fed urea (0.4 g/kg BW) with sweet feed and molasses, and those of the control group were fe...
Wensvoort P, Steenbergen-Botterweg WA.When adipose tissues of horses and ponies affected with generalized steatitis were extracted by acetone, methanol and chloroform, non-extractable lipids were found to be present, which had become insoluble as a result of peroxidation and polymerization and had acquired autofluorescent characteristics. The origin of these lipids varies. Peroxidation occurs in three different lipid compartments, namely in the cytoplasm of the necrotized adipose cells, in the macrophagess and in the fat globules present in stroma.
Mia AS, Koger HD.Serum concentrations of arginase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) in dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep and pigs were determined before and after oral administration of CCl(4) at doses known to cause hepatic necrosis. Following CCl(4) administration, serum concentration of arginase and SGOT increased to a level of diagnostic significance in all animals. SGPT increased markedly in dogs and cats and marginally in 1 of 3 cattle and 2 of 3 pigs. In the surviving animals, the serum concentration of arginase returned to normal range much earlier than ...
Fox JH, Porter BF, Easterwood L, Hildenbrand JRV, Hélie P, Smylie J, O'Toole D.Metal phosphides, particularly zinc and aluminum phosphide, occasionally poison horses and other equids following their use as rodenticides and insecticides. Grain-based aluminum phosphide baits are used to control rodents such as prairie dogs. The clinical course in intoxicated horses is short (<24-48 h), and animals may be found dead. Hepatic lesions caused by phosphine poisoning are not well described. Laboratory confirmation depends on detecting phosphine gas in gastric contents. Eight horses and a mule were exposed to zinc phosphide used to control prairie dogs on a Wyoming ranch. Three o...
Diab SS, Kinde H, Moore J, Shahriar MF, Odani J, Anthenill L, Songer G, Uzal FA.Clostridium perfringens type C is an important cause of enteritis and enterocolitis in foals and occasionally in adult horses. The disease is a classic enterotoxemia, and the enteric lesions and systemic effects are caused primarily by beta toxin, 1 of 2 major toxins produced by C. perfringens type C. Until now, only sporadic cases of C. perfringens type C equine enterotoxemia have been reported. We present a comprehensive description of the lesions in 8 confirmed cases of type C enterotoxemia in foals and adult horses. Grossly, multifocal to segmental hemorrhage and thickening of the intestin...
Satué K, Fazio E, Medica P, Miguel L, Gardón JC.In the present review, the authors, based on the multiple functions performed by the liver, analyze the multiple biochemical and hematological changes as an expression of altered liver function in the horse. The liver performs important metabolic functions related to the synthesis, degradation, and excretion of various substances. Modification of these functions can be evaluated and diagnosed by determining serum concentrations of several serum analytes, including enzymes and other endogenous substances. Hepatocellular enzymes, such as sorbitol dehydrogenase-SDH and glutamate dehydrogenase-GLD...
Combarros D, Wilhelmi-Vilarrasa I, Lacroux C, Semin MO, Delverdier M, Grebert M, Trumel C, Cadiergues MC, Lallemand EA.Mast cell tumor (MCT) has long been considered as an uncommon neoplasm in horses. Cytological and behavioral evidence of its malignancy is usually lacking, and only a few reports have described MCT displaying malignant behavior. An 18-year-old Friesian stallion presented with a one-year history of intermittent and progressive skin lesions on the left forelimb associated with intense, generalized pruritus and apathy temporarily responsive to glucocorticoids and antibiotics. The horse was alert and responsive with poor body condition and marked generalized pruritus. The left forelimb was markedl...
Valberg S, Jönsson L, Lindholm A, Holmgren N.Six horses with a history of recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) (Horses A-F) and 7 control horses performed a submaximal and later a near-maximal treadmill exercise test. Blood samples were obtained before, during and after exercise and muscle biopsies were taken before and after exercise. At rest, plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in horses with RER were above 95% confidence intervals for control horses. During submaximal exercise, 3 horses with RER (A, B and C) had much greater increases in plasma AST, creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin concentrations than did Horses ...
Slocombe RF, Slauson DO.Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was identified in 19 horses. In 16 cases mycotic lesions were associated with enterocolitis; 14 cases appeared to result from Salmonella infection. Pulmonary lesions included multifocal areas of acute necrosis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and thrombosis with fibrinosuppurative inflammation surrounding mycelial masses. Thromboemboli with fungi were in the brain and kidneys of three cases. Factors which appeared to predispose to pulmonary aspergillosis included corticosteroid therapy, disseminated neoplasms, hepatitis, pleuritis, and peritonitis. This study sugg...
Rodrigues A, Fighera RA, Souza TM, Schild AL, Barros CS.The clinical signs and pathology of the central nervous system in 9 horses with naturally occurring neurologic disease due to Trypanosoma evansi are described. The clinical course was 2 to 20 days; clinical signs included marked ataxia, blindness, head tilt and circling, hyperexcitability, obtundity, proprioceptive deficits, head pressing, and paddling movements. Grossly, asymmetric leukoencephalomalacia with yellowish discoloration of white matter and flattening of the gyri were observed in the brain of 7 of 9 horses. Histologically, all 9 horses had necrotizing encephalitis that was most sev...
Martínez J, Montgomery DL, Uzal FA.Vascular mineralization (siderocalcinosis) in the brain of horses has been usually assumed to be an incidental age-related finding with no clinic significance. In the present study, eight 15-32-year-old horses of different breeds with cerebral siderocalcinosis were studied. Four of these horses had acute and severe central nervous system clinical signs of unknown etiology, 2 horses had neurological signs of known cause, and 2 horses did not have neurological signs. Gross examination of the brains in 4 animals revealed symmetrical foci of malacia in the cerebellar white matter. Histologically, ...
