Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Primary hyperparathyroidism with osteodystrophia fibrosa of the facial bones in a pony.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Frank, N et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 17-year-old female pony was brought in because her facial bones had been getting bigger over the past nine months. Tests showed she had high calcium levels in her blood, low phosphorus levels, and high amounts of parathyroid hormone, leading to a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (a condition where the parathyroid glands produce too much hormone). The best treatment for this condition is usually surgery to remove the affected gland, but the owners chose not to proceed with that option. Unfortunately, due to the poor outlook for her health, the pony was euthanized, and further examination after her passing did not reveal any issues with the parathyroid tissue. This case highlights the challenges in diagnosing and treating primary hyperparathyroidism in horses.
Abstract
A 17-year-old pony mare was admitted for evaluation of progressive enlargement of the facial bones during the preceding 9 months. Laboratory testing revealed that the pony had hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, high urinary fractional excretion of phosphorus, and high serum concentration of intact parathyroid hormone (185.1 pmol/L; reference range, 0.25 to 2.0 pmol/L). On the basis of these findings, a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism was made by ruling out nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, chronic renal disease, and pseudohyperparathyroidism resulting from neoplasia. Although primary hyperparathyroidism is best treated by surgical removal of the affected parathyroid gland, the owners declined surgical exploration of the neck in this pony. Because of the poor prognosis, the pony was euthanatized. A functional lesion of the parathyroid tissue was not located on necropsy or histologic examination. Difficulty localizing and grossly identifying parathyroid tissue in horses complicates definitive diagnosis and treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9426785/