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however, in disseminated cases the outcome is invariably fatal (Waugh et al. 1977; Valentine et al. 1986; Collins et al. 1994; Southwood et al. 2000; Johns et al. 2005). The use of distal limb bandages in a proximal limb fracture


is usually contraindicated due to the added weight to the distal limb (Fürst 2011). In the present case a modified Robert Jones splint bandage was needed to prevent the horse taking weight on the dorsum of the metatarso-phalangeal joint, since spontaneous extension of the metatarso-phalangeal joint during weightbearing was absent. The splint used was PVC and this bandage added very little weight to the distal limb. A definitive diagnosis is often only reached with a thorough


post mortem and histopathological examination (Collins et al. 1994; Southwood et al. 2000; Reischauer et al. 2006; Cottle et al. 2008). Staining of histopathological sections with Factor VIII, which is specific for endothelial cells, thrombocytes and megakaryocytes, is advised to obtain a definitive diagnosis (Collins et al. 1994; Southwood et al. 2000; Johns et al. 2005). Although haemangiosarcoma most commonly affects


the spleen in dogs (Brown et al. 1985), osseous involvement (Gibbs et al. 1985) and more commonly intramuscular haemangiosarcoma leading to lameness (Shiu et al. 2011) have been described. This case demonstrates the difficulty in reaching a clinical


diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma as a cause of severe lameness in the horse. Neoplasia should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for horses with severe lameness and limb swelling, especially when routine diagnostic examinations fail to identify a cause and the affected horse shows anaemia or undifferentiated intramuscular masses (Knottenbelt and Clegg 2004; Cottle et al. 2008). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report describing haemangiosarcoma affecting the femur of a horse and leading to a pathological long bone fracture.


Authors’ declaration of interests No conflicts of interest have been declared.


Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Mike Ross from North Rand Veterinary Clinic for the referral of the case. The staff and students of the Faculty of Veterinary Science contributed to the care of the patient and staff of the histopathology laboratory prepared and stained the histological sections, for which they are thanked.


Manufacturers’ addresses 1Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd, Randburg,


South Africa. 2Fort Dodge Animal Health, Iowa, USA. 3Bodene (Pty) Ltd, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 4Safeline Pharmaceuticals, Johannesburg, South Africa. 5Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, Sandton, South Africa. 6Adcock Ingram Critical care (PTY) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa. 7Be-tabs Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd, Roodepoort, South Africa. 8Arrow International, Inc., Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. 9Bayer, Isando, South Africa. 10Schering-Plough Animal Health, Isando, South Africa. 11Kyron Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, Barney Road, Benrose, South Africa.


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