Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse making strange breathing noises - what could it be?
By Burgess, Hilary J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2012·Department of Veterinary Pathology, Canada·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Equine laryngeal rhinosporidiosis in western Canada.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old female Argentinean Warmblood mare living in Calgary, Alberta, was having trouble breathing, which led to a veterinary examination. During an endoscopy, a growth was found in her throat, which was surgically removed and identified as rhinosporidiosis, a type of infection. Unfortunately, when the vets checked again four weeks later, they found that the original growth had come back along with several new ones. At the time of the report, the mare had not fully recovered from the infection. This case highlights how diseases can spread to new areas, especially with increased travel of animals.
Abstract
A 12-year-old female Argentinean Warmblood mare was evaluated because of respiratory noise. The horse resided in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but had been imported from Argentina 28 months prior to presentation. Endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract revealed a single polypoid mass on the left arytenoid. The mass was surgically excised and was diagnosed histologically as rhinosporidiosis. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to confirm the etiological agent. Four weeks postoperatively, endoscopy was repeated, revealing recurrence of the original lesion with multiple additional polypoid masses on the larynx and in the oropharynx. Resolution of the disease had not been attained at the time of publication. The current report outlines a case of rhinosporidiosis in an unusual anatomical and geographic location. The infection most likely originated in Argentina, with a prolonged subclinical phase. Due to increased travel of human beings and animals, there is potential for the introduction of exotic diseases into nonendemic areas.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22604769/