Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis in a pony.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1994
- Authors:
- Amory, H et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Medicine
Plain-English summary
An adult pony had been struggling with severe breathing problems for a month, and treatments and changes in its environment weren't helping. Tests showed that the pony wasn't breathing deeply enough, and further evaluations revealed that its diaphragm, the muscle that helps with breathing, wasn't working at all. X-rays and other examinations didn't find any major issues that could explain why the diaphragm was not functioning. Ultimately, the pony was diagnosed with bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis, meaning both sides of the diaphragm were paralyzed.
Abstract
An adult pony had a 1-month history of severe respiratory distress that was resistant to treatment and environmental changes. Results of blood gas analysis were indicative of alveolar hypoventilation. Simultaneous recordings of thoracic and abdominal wall motion by inductance plethysmography, together with complete pulmonary mechanics evaluation that included transdiaphragmatic pressure monitoring, revealed complete passive behavior of the diaphragm during breathing. Because radiography, necropsy, and histologic examination did not reveal any major lesion to explain the clinical and functional observations, bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis was diagnosed.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7961096/