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Home / Equine Research Bank / Can Vet J / Septic fibrinous pericarditis in 4 horses in Saskatchewan fo...
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne2020; 61(7); 724-730;

Septic fibrinous pericarditis in 4 horses in Saskatchewan following an outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in 2017.

Abstract: In the summer of 2017, 4 horses were diagnosed with septic fibrinous pericarditis at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon. This case series occurred after a significant outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in the province during that spring. Three horses were immediately euthanized, and treatment was attempted in 1 mare. This is the first case series of pericarditis possibly associated with the ingestion of forest tent caterpillars to be reported in western Canada. Although cause-effect is not proven, it is prudent to prevent the ingestion of caterpillars by horses. Key clinical message: Septic fibrinous pericarditis, a rare condition in horses, has previously been linked to outbreaks of eastern tent caterpillars. A similar link might exist in this case series. Au cours de l’été 2017, quatre chevaux ont été diagnostiqués avec une péricardite fibrineuse septique au de Saskatoon. Ces cas ont été présentés après une sévère infestation printanière de chenilles de livrée de forêts dans la province de la Saskatchewan, reportée au printemps. Trois chevaux ont été immédiatement euthanasiés et une jument a été hospitalisée pour traitement. Ceci est le premier rapport décrivant la possible association entre des cas de péricardite chez des chevaux et l’ingestion de chenilles de livrée de forêts dans l’Ouest canadien. Même si le lien de cause à effet n’est pas prouvé, il est prudent d’éviter l’ingestion de ces chenilles processionnaires par les chevaux.Message clinique clé :La péricardite fibrineuse septique, une condition rare chez les chevaux, a précédemment été liée à des flambées de livrées des forêts. Un lien similaire pourrait exister dans la présente série de cas.(Traduit par les auteurs).
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Publication Date: 2020-07-14 PubMed ID: 32655155PubMed Central: PMC7296872
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research discusses a case of four horses in Saskatchewan diagnosed with septic fibrinous pericarditis during a forest tent caterpillar outbreak in 2017. While a direct cause-effect relationship hasn’t been proven, the study presents a possible link between the condition in horses and caterpillar ingestion.

Background of the Study

  • This research was conducted following a significant outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in Saskatchewan in spring 2017. After this outbreak, four horses were diagnosed with septic fibrinous pericarditis at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon.
  • Septic fibrinous pericarditis is a relatively rare condition in horses, which involves inflammation and a bacterial infection in the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart.

Research Findings

  • Of the four diagnosed horses, three were immediately euthanized, while treatment was attempted for one mare.
  • The key clinical message put forth in the study is that septic fibrinous pericarditis, which has previously been linked to outbreaks of eastern tent caterpillars, may also be associated with forest tent caterpillars, though a direct cause-and-effect relationship is yet to be proven.
  • This research presents the first case series of pericarditis potentially linked with the ingestion of forest tent caterpillars in western Canada.

Implications and Recommendations

  • Despite not definitively proving a causal link between the caterpillar outbreak and the pericarditis cases in horses, the study advises caution in preventing horses from ingesting the caterpillars.
  • Further research is implied to confirm the suspected link and understand more about the disease transmission mechanism.

Cite This Article

APA
Chapuis RJJ, Ragno VM, Ariza CA, Movasseghi AR, Sayi S, Uehlinger FD, Montgomery JB. (2020). Septic fibrinous pericarditis in 4 horses in Saskatchewan following an outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in 2017. Can Vet J, 61(7), 724-730.

Publication

The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
ISSN: 0008-5286
NlmUniqueID: 0004653
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 61
Issue: 7
Pages: 724-730

Researcher Affiliations

Chapuis, Ronan J J
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Ragno, Valentina M
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Ariza, Cristian A
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Movasseghi, Ahmad R
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Sayi, Soraya
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Uehlinger, Fabienne D
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).
Montgomery, Julia B
  • Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies (Chapuis); Large Animal Clinical Sciences (Chapuis, Ragno, Ariza, Uehlinger, Montgomery) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (Sayi), Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4; Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 205 Ott Road Pullman, Washington 99164-7060, USA (Ariza); Charles River Laboratories, 445 Boulevard Armand-Frappier, Laval, Q H7V 4B3 (Movasseghi).

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Euthanasia, Animal
  • Female
  • Forests
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • Larva
  • Pericarditis / epidemiology
  • Pericarditis / veterinary
  • Saskatchewan / epidemiology

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