Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging diagnosis--muscular hypertrophy of the small intestine and pseudodiverticula in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Navas De Solís, Cristobal et al.
- Affiliation:
- From the Washington State University · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was brought in because he had been experiencing ongoing belly pain (colic) and losing weight. Doctors used ultrasound to look at his abdomen and found that his small intestine was swollen and had thickened muscle walls, along with a specific area that showed a different kind of thickening. These findings helped the veterinarians understand what was happening and decide on the best treatment. This case highlights how useful ultrasound can be for diagnosing issues in horses with chronic colic. The treatment approach based on these findings was effective in managing the horse's condition.
Abstract
A 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was presented for chronic colic and weight loss. Transcutaneous and transrectal abdominal ultrasonography revealed distended, thickened small intestine with primary thickening of the muscularis and a focally more thickened loop with an echoic structure crossing the wall from the mucosa to the serosa. Visualization of diffuse thickening of the muscularis (muscular hypertrophy of the small intestine) and a focal lesion (pseudodiverticulum) helped clinicians make informed decisions. This case illustrates the importance of transabdominal and transrectal ultrasonography in horses with chronic colic and the relevance of considering the abnormalities in layering pattern of the intestinal wall.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24382217/