Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two cases of primary hepatic neoplasia in young horses: Diagnostic challenges and clinical implications.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2026
- Authors:
- Siwinska, Natalia et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Internal Diseases with Clinic for Horses
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses two young horses that were found to have rare liver tumors, which can be hard to diagnose and often have a poor outlook. The first horse was a yearling Hanoverian filly who was not gaining weight and was eating less than usual. After some imaging tests and a tissue examination, she was diagnosed with a type of liver tumor called hepatoblastoma. The second horse was a three-year-old Polish Sport Horse stallion who died suddenly, and a post-mortem exam showed he had a serious bile duct tumor called cholangiocarcinoma. These cases emphasize that liver tumors should be considered in young horses that are losing weight or have unusual liver function, even if they seem healthy otherwise.
Abstract
Primary hepatic neoplasms are rare in horses and often have a poor prognosis due to non-specific clinical signs and delayed diagnosis. This report describes two cases of primary hepatic neoplasia in young horses. The first case was a yearling Hanoverian filly presenting with non-specific clinical signs, including poor weight gain and inappetence, ultimately diagnosed with hepatoblastoma based on ultrasonographic findings and histopathological examination. The second case was a three-year-old Polish Sport Horse stallion that died suddenly, with post-mortem examination revealing advanced cholangiocarcinoma, a malignant bile duct neoplasm. These cases highlighted the diagnostic challenges of hepatic neoplasms in horses due to non-specific early clinical signs. Hepatic neoplasms should be considered in the differential diagnosis in horses with unexplained weight loss and abnormal hepatic function, regardless of age.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41548820/