A 5-year-old Andalusian stallion was presented for necropsy at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) after being euthanatized due to a history of colic, profuse nasogastric reflux, non-response to treatment, and poor prognosis. Upon opening the abdomen at necropsy, the stomach was found to be severely distended with gas. The duodenum and proximal…
A 7-year-old, neutered Labrador Retriever was presented to their veterinarian for acute onset of lethargy, inappetence, and epistaxis. On physical examination, the dog had a mild fever (102.8˚F) and dried blood around the nose. Blood was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for CBC and chemistry panels. The chemistry panel was…
A 3-year-old, male Quarter horse became ataxic and kept falling over, eventually being unable to rise. The horse ultimately had to be euthanized. The onset and severity of clinical signs occurred over a two-hour period. Serum was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for an Equine Encephalitis Panel and corn and…
A 1.5-year-old, captive, white-tailed deer buck was submitted to TVMDL for necropsy. The animal had a prolonged history of illness for at least 4 months that was not responsive to antibiotic treatment. Reported clinical signs included lethargy and rapid weight loss despite having an appetite. At necropsy, a severe endocarditis was discovered. Large amounts of…
With over 800,000 tests run annually, TVMDL encounters many challenging cases. Our case study series will highlight these interesting cases to increase awareness among veterinary and diagnostic communities. Infertility in the mare results in significant economic losses to the horse industry every year. The causes are varied and include uterine infections and uterine inflammation, hormonal…
Enterotoxemia, commonly called “overeating disease”, is a common problem in sheep and goats, especially in animals under a year of age. The disease occurs in peracute, acute, and chronic forms. The causative bacterial organism is Clostridium perfringens with types C and D being the most common forms. Type C is said to be seen most commonly in…
The carcass of a male, intact, 92 lbs., 2.5-year-old white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) was presented for necropsy at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory’s (TVMDL) College Station laboratory. Three other deer in the same pen had died recently. Clinical signs included heavy breathing, stumbling, grinding of the teeth, coughing, lethargy, and death. At necropsy,…
A 23-year-old American Quarter Horse mare was presented to a veterinarian for chronic coughing and exercise intolerance. On physical examination, wheezing was heard during auscultation. Complete Blood Count (CBC) and chemistry profiles were unremarkable. Respiratory endoscopy revealed mildly increased airway mucus. A bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and fluid was submitted to TVMDL for cytologic…
A two-year-old, male, intact miniature donkey had a wound on the mandible that was associated with a large firm mass. Radiographs of the lesion showed large osseous spicules emanating from the parent bone. Additionally, the submitting veterinarian commented that the mass continued to grow. A superficial edge biopsy from the surface and a deeper bone…
Recently, the brain of a 7-year-old Quarter horse mare was sent to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for histopathology. This horse was reported to have clinical neurological signs. Prior to histologic examination, the brain was determined to be rabies-negative by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Histologically, vessels in the brain…