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Pheochromocytoma in two horses
P J Johnson1, T E Goetz, J H Foreman
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
|March 15, 1995
Summary
Pheochromocytomas, rare adrenal tumors, can cause severe abdominal pain and sweating in older horses. Early recognition of symptoms like muscle fasciculations and hemorrhage is crucial for diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Equine Oncology
- Comparative Pathology
Background:
- Pheochromocytomas are rare adrenal medulla tumors that secrete catecholamines.
- These tumors can lead to significant clinical signs in horses, often presenting as emergency situations.
Observation:
- Two horses, a mare and a gelding, presented with severe abdominal pain and sweating.
- The mare exhibited muscle fasciculations, azotemia, and ataxia, while the gelding developed ventricular tachycardia under anesthesia.
Findings:
- Postmortem examination revealed bilateral adrenal pheochromocytomas in the mare and associated retroperitoneal/intra-abdominal hemorrhage.
- The gelding's condition was also linked to pheochromocytoma, though not explicitly detailed in the abstract.
Implications:
- Pheochromocytoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis for older horses with abdominal pain and sweating.
- Clinical signs such as muscle fasciculations, ataxia, azotemia, and hemorrhage warrant further investigation for pheochromocytoma.
- Retroperitoneal swelling detected via rectal palpation may indicate a ruptured pheochromocytoma, necessitating prompt diagnostic and therapeutic consideration.