Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pony with swollen face and high calcium levels - what to know
By Frank, N et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1998·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Primary hyperparathyroidism with osteodystrophia fibrosa of the facial bones in a pony.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 17-year-old pony mare was brought in because her facial bones had been getting larger over the past nine months. Tests showed she had high calcium levels and other signs of primary hyperparathyroidism, a condition where the parathyroid glands produce too much hormone. The recommended treatment is usually surgery to remove the affected gland, but her owners chose not to proceed with that option. Unfortunately, due to the poor outlook for her condition, the pony was euthanized.
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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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9426785/