Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasonography and Surgical Treatment of an Unusual Case of Urethral Calculus in an Arabian Horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Abu-Seida, Ashraf M & Shamaa, Ashraf A
- Affiliation:
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This case involves an 11-year-old Arabian stallion that had a large stone blocking his urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. He was in pain, not able to urinate, and was eating and drinking less than usual. A physical exam showed a hard mass in the urethra and a swollen bladder, and an ultrasound confirmed the presence of the stone. The veterinarians performed surgery to remove the obstruction, and the stallion recovered well without any complications or signs of the problem returning over the next year. Overall, the surgery was successful in treating the urethral blockage.
Abstract
This case report records an obstructive urolithiasis due to a large calcium carbonate urethral stone in an 11-year-old Arabian stallion. The stallion had colicky pain, anuria, and reduction in food and water intakes. Palpation of the penis revealed rhythmic contractions of the urethra, a hard mass in the penile urethra at the level of the ischial arch, and a dilated urethra proximal to the mass. Rectal examination revealed a distended and turgid urinary bladder. Passing a urethral catheter revealed a complete urethral obstruction at the level of the ischial arch. Ultrasonography revealed a calculus that appeared as an irregular, hyperechoic arch-like thick line with acoustic shadowing. Subischial urethrotomy was conducted under epidural anesthesia. Uneventful recovery was seen with no recurrence or complications for 12 months of available follow-up. In conclusion, clinical, rectal, and ultrasound examinations are valuable for definite diagnosis of urethral calculi in horses and the subischial urethrotomy appears to be successful in correcting this condition in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32797778/