Septicemic salmonellosis and suspected phenylbutazone toxicosis in an aged pony.

The study describes a case of an old pony that developed a rare form of salmonella infection and stomach ulcers, possibly due to an excessive amount of a particular drug (phenylbutazone).

Introduction

• This research paper discusses a unique case of a 16-year-old pony which exhibited signs of abdominal pain off and on.
• The pony had been given a dose of phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) often used in horses to treat pain and inflammation, exceeding the recommended amount.

Diagnosis

• Through endoscopy, a procedure that uses an endoscope to examine the inside of the body, ulceration was detected in the pony’s esophagus, stomach, and the beginning part of the small intestine.
• The pony also started to have diarrhea. Salmonella typhimurium was the bacterium detected in the pony’s blood and feces.

Treatment and Outcome

• The pony’s treatment approach was multifaceted and included administering fluids, an antibiotic combination of trimethoprim and sulfadiazine, sucralfate (a medication used to treat ulcers), and ranitidine hydrochloride (often used to reduce stomach acid).
• Following this treatment plan, the pony’s diarrhea stopped and the gastrointestinal ulcers healed.

Discussion

• This case is particularly noteworthy because of the rarity of salmonellosis septicemia, a condition where the salmonella bacteria spread into the bloodstream, in adult horses.
• In addition, common complications often seen in newborn septicemia cases like septic arthritis (an infection in the joint), nephritis (an inflammation of the kidneys), and hepatitis (an inflammation of the liver) did not occur in this case.
• The paper also considers the possibility that the ulcers in the pony’s gastrointestinal tract may have been caused by an overdose of phenylbutazone or even stress.