Paraneoplatic pruritus in a 7-year-old Slovak warmblood with malignant
round cell tumour.
- Natália Rovňanová,
- Veronika Kostolániová,
- Katarína Lešková,
- Sandra Hurta-Csizmár,
- Zdeněk Žert
Veronika Kostolániová
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice
Author ProfileKatarína Lešková
Comenius University in Bratislava Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin
Author ProfileSandra Hurta-Csizmár
Comenius University in Bratislava Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin
Author ProfileZdeněk Žert
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice
Author ProfileAbstract
A seven year old Slovak warmblood gelding, used as a police horse,
initially presented to the refferal clinic when it was five years old,
with an itching keloid on the distal limb, requiring surgical removal.
After surgical removal of the keloid and successful closure of the skin,
it was necessary to maintain bandaging the healed wound to prevent self
mutilation as the healed surgical site remained pruritic post
operatively. After two years, the horse presented to the clinic again
with pruritic and alopetic regions of the head, neck, limbs and base of
the tail. Attempts to find the cause of dermal iritation included
dermatological, parazitological, microbiological and ultrasonographic
examination. Treatment with corticosteroids, antiparasitics and
antibiotics were not succesfull. Further investigation due to the
horse's worsening general status led to the finding of marked pleural
effusion. Cytology of the pleural fluid confirmed there was, as
suspected, neoplastic changes in the thoracic cavity. Furthermore there
were gross pathological changes of the lymphatic tissue of the cranial
mediastinum, surroundings of the aorta in the thoracic cavity and lymph
nodes of the abdominal cavity. Histolology of the lymphatic nodes found
poorly differentiated round cell tumours. Histopathological findings
confirmed there was a very aggressive form of lymphoma. The pruritus,
generalised moth-eaten alopecia and self-mutilation were the first
symptoms of the terminal disease in this case.04 Aug 2023Submitted to Equine Veterinary Education 04 Aug 2023Assigned to Editor
04 Aug 2023Submission Checks Completed
18 Oct 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned