Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hypertrichosis in a horse with alimentary T-cell lymphoma and pituitary involvement.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
- Year:
- 2007
- Authors:
- Mitsui, Ikki et al.
- Affiliation:
- Purdue University · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old Quarterhorse mare had been experiencing diarrhea, weight loss, and low energy for six months. When she was examined, she had excessive hair growth, was sweating more than usual, and had unusual fat distribution, along with severe diarrhea. The veterinarians suspected she had a condition causing protein loss and an issue with her pituitary gland. A biopsy revealed that she had T-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer, affecting her intestines. Unfortunately, due to the severity of her illness and poor chances of recovery, the owner decided to euthanize her.
Abstract
A 13-year-old Quarterhorse mare had a 6-month history of diarrhea, progressive weight loss, and lethargy. At presentation the mare was hirsute, had hyperhidrosis, and abnormal fat distribution in addition to severe diarrhea. A presumptive clinical diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction was made. T-cell lymphoma was diagnosed in a rectal biopsy specimen. The owner elected to euthanize the mare because of poor prognosis and the severity of the disease. At necropsy, the mare had hypertrichosis and the pituitary gland was diffusely enlarged. Histologically, neoplastic lymphocytes infiltrated the gastrointestinal mucosa, mesenteric lymph nodes, and the pituitary gland. In addition, there was hyperplasia of the pituitary gland pars intermedia. Pituitary adenoma was not present. Hypertrichosis in this case could have been triggered by a combination of adenomatous hyperplasia of pars intermedia and lymphoma resulting in disruption of the hypothalamic dopaminergic tone or disruption of the hypothalamic thermoregulatory center.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17459849/