Generalized sarcoidosis in two horses.

The research paper details two rare cases of generalized sarcoidosis in horses, one in an 11-year-old Trakehner mare, and the other in a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The studies portray the disorder’s characteristics, diagnosis, symptoms, and ineffective treatment with corticosteroids, leading to euthanization.

About Sarcoidosis in Horses

• The study focuses on a rare condition in horses known as generalized sarcoidosis. While the term sarcoidosis may invoke a relation or similarity to another known condition, equine sarcoid, the paper clarifies that these two diseases are not related.
• Generalized sarcoidosis in horses is characterized by exfoliative dermatitis (a condition causing the skin to peel or flake), moderate to severe wasting (extreme weight loss or malnutrition), and sarcoidal granulomatous inflammation of multiple organ systems.
• The cause (aetiopathogenesis) of this condition remains unknown.

Case Studies: Case A and Case B

• The researchers examine two individual cases of equine sarcoidosis – an 11-year-old Trakehner mare and a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
• Case A involved a horse with sarcoidosis on the head and body. The diagnosis was confirmed via a histological examination of the horse’s skin.
• Case B dealt with a horse presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules measuring 2-15 cm in diameter. The diagnosis was confirmed after a postmortem examination.
• Both cases displayed distinctive histology or tissue structure. This was evidenced by extensive lymphohistiocytic infiltration (an accumulation of lymphocytes and histiocytes as an immune response) and Langhans-type multinucleated giant cells (a form of macrophage, a white blood cell, found in granulomas).

Blood Test Results and Treatment

• On haematology (the study of blood) and biochemistry (the study of chemical substances within the body), a normal total white blood cell count with a right shift was observed.
• The horse in case B exhibited anaemia and an elevated total protein concentration in the blood, indicating hyperglobulinaemia, an excess of globulin in the blood serum.
• Treatment involving corticosteroids was administered to both horses but proved unresponsive, thereby leading to the euthanization of both horses.