Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Caudal esophageal achalasia in a Quarter Horse colt.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary internal medicine
- Year:
- 2026
- Authors:
- Alvarado Soto, Genner Josue et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
Plain-English summary
A 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt was having trouble growing, experienced repeated bouts of colic (abdominal pain), and developed aspiration pneumonia, which is a lung infection caused by inhaling food or liquid. Tests using a special imaging technique showed that the colt had a problem with how his esophagus was working, which is known as achalasia (a condition where the esophagus has trouble moving food down). Unfortunately, a post-mortem examination confirmed that he had this condition. The treatment details are not mentioned, but the outcome was that the colt did not survive.
Abstract
Achalasia is the most common motility disorder of the esophagus in humans and has been diagnosed in cats and dogs. We describe a 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt with failure to thrive, recurrent colic episodes, and aspiration pneumonia, in which fluoroscopic evaluation identified a caudal esophageal motility disorder consistent with achalasia. Necropsy examination confirmed achalasia.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41904681/