Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Megacolon with myenteric hypoganglionosis in a foal.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1988
- Authors:
- Murray, M J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old Clydesdale filly was having ongoing problems with a swollen belly and occasional fevers. When she had surgery, the vets found that her right dorsal colon was blocked, and they were able to clear it out. However, just four days later, her belly swelling came back and got worse, leading to the difficult decision to euthanize her. An examination after her passing showed that her right dorsal colon was still very swollen and had a lot of waste inside, and there were significantly fewer nerve cells in her colon that help with movement. Unfortunately, the treatment did not work as hoped, and her condition was severe.
Abstract
A 6-month-old Clydesdale filly had chronic abdominal distention and intermittent febrile episodes. Abdominal surgery revealed impaction of the right dorsal colon, which was relieved by evacuation of contents through an enterotomy. Four days after surgery, abdominal distention recurred and progressed. The filly was euthanatized. Necropsy revealed the right dorsal colon to be markedly distended with digesta. Microscopically, there was a marked reduction in myenteric ganglion cells in the right dorsal colon and cecum and mild to moderate reduction of myenteric ganglion cells in the left ventral and transverse colon.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3366678/