Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Skin lumps and itching in horses linked to infections
By Spiegel, Ian B et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2006·Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective study of cutaneous equine sarcoidosis and its potential infectious aetiological agents.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Nine horses aged 5 to 21 years were diagnosed with cutaneous equine sarcoidosis, a skin condition that caused symptoms like crusty lesions, hair loss, and itching. The condition was more common in thoroughbreds and geldings, and while some horses had lung involvement, many only had skin issues. Unfortunately, three horses were euthanized shortly after being hospitalized, but the others lived for up to 12 years. Tests for various infections came back negative, suggesting that the cause is not microbial. The surviving horses responded well to glucocorticoid therapy, showing either partial or complete improvement.
People also search for: horse skin problems · equine sarcoidosis treatment · itching horse skin condition
Abstract
Nine horses from ages 5 to 21 years were diagnosed with cutaneous equine sarcoidosis (ES) over an 18-year period. In addition to skin, the lungs were frequently involved, with other organ systems affected less commonly. A predisposition for thoroughbreds and geldings was noted. Cutaneous lesions and signs included crusts, scales, alopecia and pruritus. These were found at various sites, particularly the legs/thighs/elbows, thorax, neck, face and ventral abdomen. Three horses were euthanized shortly after hospitalization; others survived as long as 12 years. Histopathologic stains, immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction assays on paraffin-embedded cutaneous specimens from eight horses for Mycobacterium spp., Coccidioides immitis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, and Borrelia burgdorferi were all negative. The aetiology of ES is unlikely microbial and continues to be a diagnosis of exclusion. ES, when limited to the skin, is associated with a good prognosis, with either partial or complete response to glucocorticoid therapy in all the surviving horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16412120/