Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Clostridium perfringens cellulitis and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1983
- Authors:
- Reef, V B
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Quarter Horse mare was taken to a veterinary clinic because she had a large area of dead skin on her chest and was passing dark-colored urine, which indicated a serious problem. The dead skin was caused by an infection from a bacteria called Clostridium perfringens, which can lead to gas gangrene, and she also had a condition where her immune system was attacking her own red blood cells, leading to severe anemia. The veterinarians treated her with medications to reduce inflammation and antibiotics to fight the infection, but when her condition worsened, they switched to a different antibiotic. Unfortunately, despite all the intensive care she received, the mare passed away on the 11th day of her hospital stay.
Abstract
A 10-year-old Quarter Horse mare was referred for evaluation and treatment of a large pectoral skin slough and hemoglobinuria. The skin slough was secondary to Clostridium perfringens cellulitis and associated gas gangrene. Cold hemagglutinin disease was diagnosed and was suspected to be secondary to C perfringens septicemia. The autoimmune hemolytic anemia, severe intravascular hemolysis, and hemoglobinuria were treated with dexamethasone and hydrocortisone. The infection was treated with 20 X 10(6) units of sodium penicillin, IV, 4 times daily, and the wound was debrided. When the mare relapsed, treatment was changed to 6 g of chloramphenicol sodium succinate, IV, 4 times daily. The mare died on day 11 of hospitalization, despite intensive therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6826449/