Horner's syndrome in the horse: a clinical, experimental and morphological study

A clinical case of Horner's syndrome is described in a Standardbred horse, and the various symptoms of cranial sympathetic denervation are studied in two ponies after experimental transection of the left cervical sympathetic trunk and vagosympathetic trunk, respectively. The most prominent symptoms of equine Horner's syndrome were ptosis, local sweating and increased cutaneous temperature in the denervated area. Enophthalmos, miosis and increased lacrimation were also observed but these symptoms were mild, variable and difficult to ascertain. Prolapse of the third eyelid was not noticed. Concomitant laryngeal hemiplegia was present in the clinical case and was provoked experimentally in one pony by transection of the left vagosympathetic trunk. The aetiology of each of these symptoms is discussed by comparing the results of pharmacological tests and histological findings in the three horses with the data from the literature.