EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION Equine vet. Educ. (2020) 32 (8) 401 doi: 10.1111/eve.13080_1
Case Report
Pine branch of Araucaria angustifolia in horse bronchi: A series of four cases
F. C. M. Barussi, F. Z. Bastos, L. Zenni, C. E. Camargo and P. V. Michelotto* Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Pontifıcia Universidade Cat
Paran a, Brazil
*Corresponding author email:
p.michelotto@pucpr.br Keywords: horse; endoscopy; foreign body; lung; pulmonary
Summary Four horses in the city of Curitiba located in the Paran
Airway endoscopic examinations were performed under a state
of southern Brazil were examined for a history of chronic coughing. Case 1 was a male Thoroughbred yearling. Case 2 was a 10-year-old Appaloosa mare. Case 3 was another Appaloosa horse, a 20-year-old gelding and Case 4 was a 5- year-old male Crioulo horse. All animals had free access to the native pasture and had a
history of persistent coughing of several months duration. The animals also had a fetid nasal discharge and exercise intolerance. They were examined by different practitioners and had a history of treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs that did not resolve the clinical signs.
sedation complemented with administration of topical tracheobronchial anaesthesiawith 2% lidocaine diluted in saline (1:4). The endoscope was introduced into the right bronchus, and in each case a branch of Araucaria angustifolia was identified near the third to fifth division bronchi (Fig 1). Treatment involved retrieval of the A. angustifolia
branches from the airways to resolve the inflammation and infection. However, different results were obtained using wire polypectomy loops and biopsy forceps that were passed through the endoscope’s working channel. In Case 1, only a part of the pine branch could be
removed, while in Case 2, there were two unsuccessful attempts, prior to the horse being lost to follow-up. In Case 3, the branch was removed in two segments, with
a)
a total length of 30 cm. The animal was treated with penicillin (20,000 IU/kg bwt s.i.d. i.m.) and metronidazole (20 mg/kg bwt b.i.d. per os) for 10 days. After one year, the horse is clinically well and being used for pleasure rides, as before. In Case 4, the pine branch was surrounded by thick pus, and
was firmly lodged in the bronchus. This resulted in numerous unsuccessful attempts at removal of the branch during the 1- year period. It was decided to keep the horse resting under pasturemanagement; however, occasional coughing persisted. We suggest that other cases of aspiration of foreign
bodies, caused by similar plant types in the tracheobronchial region of horses might be overlooked. Successful treatment necessitated more than one extraction attempt, and the use of appropriate equipment. However, the A. angustifolia branch can adhere to swollen mucosa, which can make the extraction difficult.
b)
Key points • Foreign bodies must be included in the differential diagnoses of horses presenting with recurrent chronic cough and malodorous breath. Endoscopic examination must be performed distal to the tracheal bifurcation after instilling topical anaesthesia.
• The extraction of A. angustifolia branches is especially difficult due to their shape, which adheres them to the mucosa and creates resistance for their exit from the bronchus.
Fig 1: Bronchoscopic examination of horses. a) Carina region of a 5-year-oldmale Crioulo horse showing severe local inflammation; b) The foreign body in the same horse, as shown in 1a, distal to carina region.
• Surgical access provides a possible treatment option, but it is influenced by the bronchial location, that is, the distance from the branch to the site of the tracheotomy. Moreover, it depends on the availability of suitable equipment and trained professionals.
olica do Paran a, Curitiba,
401
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