Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Septic fibrinous pericarditis in 4 horses in Saskatchewan following an outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in 2017.
- Journal:
- The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Chapuis, Ronan J J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In the summer of 2017, four horses in Saskatchewan were found to have a serious heart condition called septic fibrinous pericarditis, which is an infection of the heart's outer lining. This situation followed a large outbreak of forest tent caterpillars in the area earlier that spring. Unfortunately, three of the horses had to be put down, while one mare received treatment. Although it's not definitively proven that eating these caterpillars caused the heart condition, it's wise to keep horses from eating them. Overall, the treatment for the mare did not lead to a successful outcome.
Abstract
In the summer of 2017, 4 horses were diagnosed with septic fibrinous pericarditis at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon. This case series occurred after a significant outbreak of forest tent caterpillarsin the province during that spring. Three horses were immediately euthanized, and treatment was attempted in 1 mare. This is the first case series of pericarditis possibly associated with the ingestion of forest tent caterpillars to be reported in western Canada. Although cause-effect is not proven, it is prudent to prevent the ingestion of caterpillars by horses. Key clinical message: Septic fibrinous pericarditis, a rare condition in horses, has previously been linked to outbreaks of eastern tent caterpillars. A similar link might exist in this case series.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32655155/