Septic peritonitis associated with caudal myotomy in a Tennessee walking horse.

The research discusses a case of septic peritonitis, an abdominal infection, in a young Tennessee Walking Horse that was caused by a caudal myotomy, a surgical procedure involving muscle excision.

Case Presentation

• The article scrutinizes a specific case of a 2-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse colt that showed signs of abdominal discomfort, unwillingness to eat, and constipation, which lasted for 5 days.
• The owner had previously performed a caudal myotomy on the horse, which is a surgical procedure in which the sacrococcygeal muscles are cut, intended to alter the positioning and movement of the horse’s tail. Evidently, this operation was performed two days before the horse started showing symptoms.

Initial Findings and Condition Progression

• On examination, the horse was found to be suffering from fever and lethargy. No intestinal sounds were detected, which usually indicate proper functioning of the digestive tract.
• When the veterinarians analyzed the peritoneal fluid (fluid in the abdominal cavity), the outcome hinted at peritonitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the peritoneum, the tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen.
• Despite efforts for intervention by administering antimicrobials, flunixin meglumine (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), and a balanced electrolyte solution to provide hydration and minerals, the horse’s condition continued to worsen until it eventually succumbed to the illness.

Necropsy Findings and Cause of Peritonitis

• A postmortem examination (necropsy) was conducted on the horse’s body. The peritoneal cavity was discovered to contain around 20 liters of a fluid mix of serum and blood, denoted as serosanguineous fluid. This is a significant indication of severe bodily infection or trauma.
• The site of the surgical wound from the myotomy was filled with a yellow-green matter that had spread from the base of the tail, along the bottom-side of the rectum, and into the peritoneal cavity.
• The final clue to the source of the infection was revealed when they isolated the Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria from both the myotomy site and the peritoneal fluid. This strongly indicated that the surgical procedure performed by the owner had inadvertently caused an E.coli infection, which subsequently developed into a life-threatening case of septic peritonitis.