Splenic lymphosarcoma in a horse.

The research article presents a case report of a 16-year old pregnant Warmblood mare diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, a type of cancer. The mare exhibited symptoms such as sluggishness, depression, pale mucous membranes with petechiae, ventral edema, and fever, and died after six days of hospitalization.

Presentation of the Case

• The sixteen-year old pregnant horse was presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine after showing signs of sluggishness for eight days.
• The mare’s main symptoms were sluggishness, depression, pale mucous membranes with petechiae (small red or purple spots caused by bleeding into the skin), ventral oedema (swelling caused by excessive fluid accumulation), and fever. These symptoms are typical of severe illnesses and may indicate an immune response to a significant health problem. However, they are not specific to lymphosarcoma; thus, further tests were required to diagnose the condition accurately.

Diagnostic Investigation

• Haematological evaluation was conducted which revealed severe anaemia (low red blood cell or haemoglobin in the blood), with a haematocrit of 0.15 L.L.-1, far below the normal range for horses. This condition often results in weakness, fatigue and a decreased ability to perform physical tasks – explaining the horse’s sluggishness.
• The evaluation also revealed leukopenia (a decrease in the number of white blood cells) with 2.3 G.L.-1 with 96% of those being lymphocytes. The high percentage of lymphocytes among the white blood cells could suggest a response to a viral infection or be an indicator of certain kinds of cancers, including lymphosarcoma. Notably, there was no sign of thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), which would typically lead to issues with blood clotting.

Outcomes and Necropsy Findings

• The horse died following a six-day hospitalisation period, suggesting a rapid progression of the unidentified disease.
• Upon necropsy, a multicentric (originating at multiple sites) lymphosarcoma was found in the bone marrow of the mare. This indicates that the mare had a severe form of cancer that had likely spread to various parts of her body, causing the severe symptoms.
• Neoplastic infiltration of the kidneys was also found, indicating that the cancer had significantly spread and had also affected the kidneys, likely causing impairment in their function.

Conclusion

• Despite the diagnostic evaluation and hospitalisation, the severe disease condition in the horse, identified post-mortem as lymphosarcoma, led to the mare’s death after six days. This case illustrates the potential severity and rapid progression of lymphosarcoma in horses, and the importance of early detection and intervention for successful disease management.