Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diagnosis of ruptured urinary bladder in a foal by the identification of calcium carbonate crystals in the peritoneal fluid.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1992
- Authors:
- Morley, P S & Desnoyers, M
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine · Canada
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 3-day-old Quarter Horse colt was brought in because he was very tired, seemed uncomfortable, and was straining in his abdomen. He appeared disoriented, and his belly was swollen and tight. Tests showed that he had low sodium and chloride levels, high potassium, and some elevated waste products in his blood, leading the veterinarians to suspect a ruptured urinary bladder. To confirm this, they took a sample of fluid from his abdomen, which showed crystals that came from his urine, and further tests indicated a significant problem with his urinary system. Unfortunately, the foal passed away before he could undergo surgery to fix the issue.
Abstract
A 3-day-old Quarter Horse colt was examined because of signs of severe depression, discomfort, and abdominal straining. The foal seemed disoriented, and the abdomen was tense and distended ventrally. The differential diagnoses included ruptured urinary bladder, retained meconium, septicemia/bacteremia, and neonatal maladjustment syndrome. Serum biochemical analysis revealed marked hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and moderate hyperkalemia, as well as mildly high urea, creatinine, and phosphorus concentrations. The primary differential diagnosis at this time was ruptured urinary bladder. Abdominocentesis was performed to confirm this diagnosis. Microscopic examination of abdominal fluid revealed calcium carbonate crystals, which originated from the urine of the foal. Biochemical analysis also confirmed the diagnosis of ruptured urinary bladder, because the ratio of peritoneal fluid creatinine to serum creatinine was 2.8:1. The foal died before surgical correction could be attempted.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1612990/