Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Newborn foal with belly pain and fluid buildup - what to know
By Campbell-Beggs, C L et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·1995·Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Chyloabdomen in a neonatal foal.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 12-hour-old female standardbred foal started showing signs of belly pain, a fast heartbeat, trouble breathing, and a fever. These symptoms were linked to a condition called chylous ascites, where fluid rich in fat builds up in the abdomen. The cause was found to be a blockage in the small intestine due to a problem with the lymphatic vessels, which are responsible for draining fluid. Unfortunately, a post-mortem exam showed that this issue was likely a birth defect, and the foal did not survive.
Abstract
A 12-hour-old female standardbred foal developed signs of abdominal pain, tachycardia, tachypnoea and fever associated with chylous ascites. Small intestinal obstruction was due to segmental, mid-jejunal lymphangiectasia. Post mortem examination revealed a lack of communication between afferent and efferent lymphatic vessels in the mesenteric lymphocentre, a defect which was suspected to be congenital.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8533251/