Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Idiopathic arterial medial calcification of the thoracic arteries in an adult horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Fales-Williams, Amanda et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Pathology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old gelded Paint horse showed signs of muscle wasting and stiffness in its limbs for about six months. The horse felt better when treated with corticosteroids, but the symptoms came back when the treatment stopped. After the horse passed away, a thorough examination revealed serious thickening of the aorta and stiffness of the aortic valve, along with specific changes in the blood vessels that are similar to a condition seen in humans with chronic kidney disease or diabetes. There was no evidence that the horse had eaten any plants or feed that contained vitamin D, which can sometimes cause similar issues. This case highlights significant changes in the horse's arteries, but the exact cause remains unknown.
Abstract
A 6-year-old, gelded, Paint horse displayed clinical signs of muscle wasting and limb stiffness for a 6-month period. The horse's clinical signs abated with corticosteroid therapy, but returned upon cessation of treatment. Upon necropsy, severe lesions of aortic thickening and aortic valve rigidity were observed. Histologically, the tunica media of the aorta, coronary arteries, and pulmonary arteries were expanded by foci of elastin fiber calcification and extracellular matrix with lacunae formation. The vascular lesions are comparative to what has been described as medial arterial calcification, seen in humans suffering from chronic renal failure or diabetes mellitus. No exposure to vitamin D-containing plants or feedstuff could be documented at the time of onset or during the period of clinical signs. The current case describes dramatic lesions of arterial medial calcification of the aorta, coronary, and pulmonary arteries of undetermined cause.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18776115/