Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Septic tenosynovitis of the tarsal sheath of an Arab gelding and suspected sepsis of the lateral digital flexor tendon subsequent to bacterial peritonitis.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary record
- Year:
- 2004
- Authors:
- Archer, D C et al.
- Affiliation:
- Philip Leverhulme Hospital for Large Animals · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 21-year-old Arab gelding was suffering from severe abdominal inflammation due to a perforating ulcer in his intestine, which led to contamination in his abdomen. After surgery to remove the damaged part of the intestine and clean the abdomen, he was given antibiotics, pain relief, and fluids. However, four days later, he started to refuse to put weight on his right hind leg, and an ultrasound revealed inflammation of a tendon in that leg. Despite treatment with more antibiotics, the condition worsened and spread, ultimately leading to the difficult decision to euthanize the horse.
Abstract
A 21-year-old Arab gelding with clinical signs of acute peritonitis had a perforating ulcer on the mesenteric border of the jejunum which resulted in localised contamination of the abdomen with ingesta. The affected segment of jejunum was resected and the abdomen was lavaged extensively. Postoperatively, the gelding was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and intravenous fluids, but after four days it became acutely non-weight bearing on its right hindlimb, and a tendonitis of the lateral digital flexor tendon within the tarsal sheath was identified ultrasonographically. The septic tendonitis was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics but progressed proximodistally within the tendon until it involved both the tarsal sheath and the associated tarsocrural joint, necessitating the euthanasia of the gelding.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15537143/