Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Squamous cell carcinoma of the hoof wall in a stallion.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1991
- Authors:
- Berry, C R et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Radiological Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old Thoroughbred stallion was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, affecting the hoof wall and spreading to the bone in his right hind foot. He had been limping on that leg for a long time, and a mass on the hoof wall didn't hurt when touched. X-rays showed a specific area of concern in the bone under the mass, which initially seemed like a benign growth. After surgery to remove the mass, it was confirmed to be cancerous, and eight months later, the cancer caused a serious fracture in the bone. This case emphasizes the importance of getting the right diagnosis for hoof wall growths to tell if they are harmless or harmful.
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma of the hoof wall, with resultant invasion of the right hind distal phalanx, was identified in a 15-year-old Thoroughbred stallion. The clinical features included a chronic grade 2/5 right hind limb lameness and a sessile dorsal hoof wall mass that was not sensitive to palpation. Radiography revealed a well-circumscribed circular lucency within the distal phalanx, beneath the clinically noticed hoof wall mass. These features were considered to be characteristic of a hoof wall keratoma. Surgical intervention was done 10 months later. The histologic diagnosis at the time of surgery was squamous cell carcinoma. Eight months after surgery, progressive tumor invasion of the distal phalanx resulted in a pathologic articular fracture. This case highlights the need for accurate histologic diagnosis of equine hoof wall masses to differentiate between benign and malignant conditions.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1885337/