[Equine leukosis with progressive lameness--a case study]

A case of generalized equine leucosis is presented. The most important clinical signs were cachexia, loss of condition, fever, tachycardia, subcutaneous tumors and severe lameness accompanied by edema of the right thoracic limb. Hematology showed anemia and neutrophilia; clinical biochemistry indicated hypalbuminemia, hyperphosphatemia and hyperfibrinogenemia. Necropsy revealed multiple tumors throughout the body which mainly originated from lymph nodes. Histopathologically the tumors consisted of two cell-types: a. uniform lymphocytoid cells with a highly infiltrative growth pattern; b. heteromorphic noninvasive lymphoblastoid cells with production of "reticular" fibers. Diagnostic problems of clinical and pathological findings are discussed.