Malignant edema in a mare.

The article details the writer’s experience with a four-year-old saddle mare who displayed serious symptoms of illness, such as colic, a stiff walk, refusal to eat, and trouble urinating. The veterinarian’s diagnoses included indigestion and laminitis but treatments were ineffective and the mare’s condition worsened.

Diagnosis and Initial Treatments

• The mare initially exhibited signs of colic, a common equine digestive disorder.
• The horse owner contacted a vet who diagnosed the mare with indigestion and laminitis, conditions related to digestive and hoof health respectively.
• Despite treatment for the aforementioned conditions, the mare did not improve. The signs of colic disappeared but she developed a stiff walk, was refusing to eat and had difficulty urinating.

Continued Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Over time, the mare’s walk became stiffer, especially in her rear legs. It was noted that she strained considerably when attempting to urinate and would pass very little urine.
• Upon performing a thorough examination, the vet found that the mare had an exceptionally high temperature (106 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Other abnormal findings included rapid, shallow, and labored breath. The horse’s eyes were sunken and her mucous membranes were pale and slightly yellow (icteric), suggestive of liver-related issues or systemic illness.

Implications

• This case presents an example of a complex equine medical case where initial diagnoses and treatments were ineffective, stressing the necessity of thorough and continuous examination of animal symptoms in determining the correct diagnosis.
• The appearance of new symptoms, the worsening of certain conditions, and the mare’s lack of response to initial treatments all suggested she was suffering from an illness more severe than originally diagnosed.

The specific disease or condition the mare was suffering from is not clear from the abstract alone, but the chronic nature of her symptoms and the severity of her physical condition suggest a serious, potentially life-threatening ailment.