Cellulitis associated with coagulase-positive staphylococci in racehorses: nine cases (1975-1984).

The study looks at nine racing horses that were diagnosed with cellulitis due to the infection of coagulase-positive staphylococci, detailing their symptoms, complications, and the outcomes of their condition.

Investigation Subject

• The study focused on nine Thoroughbred racehorses which presented with cellulitis in one or more limbs which was associated with an infection of coagulase-positive staphylococci.

Detailed Findings

• Of the horses, four had the right hindlimb affected, two had the right forelimb affected, one had the left hindlimb affected, and two had both hindlimbs affected.
• The horses showed various abnormal conditions like high rectal temperature, increased heart rate, hyperfibrinogenemia (an excessive level of fibrinogen in the blood), leukocytosis (higher than normal white blood cell count) and neutrophilia (a high number of neutrophils).
• The staphylococcal strains isolated from three of the horses were identified as Staphylococcus aureus.

Complications and Prognosis

• Several complications were noticed in the horses such as skin loss, laminitis in the affected or opposite limb, osteomyelitis and sequestrum formation (bone infection and the formation of sequestra), and bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood).
• Five out of the nine horses had to be euthanized due to severe complications such as severe skin loss and laminitis, while the remaining four horses were released from the clinic.
• At a follow-up evaluation after an average period of 16.7 months, the swelling had completely resolved in three of the horses. Among the survivors, one returned to racing, one was used for pleasure riding, one was mildly lame, and one was used for breeding due to persistent swelling in the affected limb.