Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Overwhelming strongyloidosis in a foal.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1997
- Authors:
- Brown, C A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 6-month-old foal was taken to the vet because it was very weak, losing weight, and not eating well for the past three weeks. During the exam, the foal was found to be very weak, unresponsive, and extremely thin. Blood tests showed it had anemia (low red blood cells) and low protein levels. Unfortunately, due to its serious condition, the foal was put to sleep. A post-mortem examination showed a severe infection in the small intestine caused by a type of parasite called Strongyloides westeri, along with significant swelling in the gastrointestinal tract. The foal had been raised alone after losing its mother shortly after birth, which likely left it vulnerable to this infection when it finally came into contact with other foals at five months old. The treatment did not work, as the foal was euthanized due to its overwhelming condition.
Abstract
A 6-month-old foal was evaluated because of weakness, weight loss, and inappetence of 3 weeks' duration. On initial examination, the foal was weak, poorly responsive, and emaciated. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included anemia and hypoproteinemia. Because of its severe debilitation, the foal was euthantized. Necropsy revealed marked infection of the small intestine with Strongyloides westeri and severe edema of the entire gastrointestinal tract. The foal had been orphaned when it was 6 hours old and raised in isolation from other horses. We believe that this foal developed overwhelming strongyloidosis when it was first exposed to other foals at 5 months of age, because it had not been naturally exposed to the organism at a younger age and was immunologically naive.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9262674/