[A Shetland pony with a squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach].

This research discusses the case of a Shetland pony diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the stomach, discovered after it was reported for unexplained weight loss and colic symptoms.

Case History

• The subject of this study was a 12-year-old Shetland pony, who was brought to the veterinary clinics due to unexpected weight loss over several months and signs of colic, a common digestive disorder in horses that includes symptoms like abdominal pain.

Diagnosis

• On conducting a rectal examination, the physicians noticed certain unusualities – the mesenteric lymph nodes were swollen and they could feel an unusual mass in the left anterior abdominal cavity.
• A haematological evaluation was performed, revealing leucocytosis, a condition where white blood cell count is higher than normal. The electrophoretic pattern was also abnormal with different percentages of albumin, alpha-globulins, beta-globulins, and gamma-globulins. These abnormalities typically indicate an underlying disease condition or an immune response.
• Peritoneal fluid was collected from the horse through a procedure called abdominal paracentesis. The absence of neoplastic cells or abnormal cells usually associated with tumors in the fluid ruled out certain types of cancer.
• A gastroscopy, an examination of the stomach and upper digestive tract using a flexible tube, was performed where the doctors could see a mass with areas of ulceration and necrosis within the oesophageal region of the stomach. Necrotic tissues indicate the premature death of cells, often associated with diseases like cancer.

Final Determination

• After conducting these procedures, the pony was later euthanized, and a necropsy was performed. The histological evaluation of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a type of cancer that begins in the squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that form the surface of the skin, the lining of body cavities and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. In this case, the horse had stomach squamous cell carcinoma, indicating that the cancer originated in the stomach.