Gastric neoplasia in horses.
BACKGROUND
Gastric neoplasia of horses is incompletely described.


OBJECTIVE
Provide history, clinical signs, and clinicopathological and pathological findings associated with gastric neoplasia in horses.


METHODS
Twenty-four horses with gastric neoplasia.


METHODS
Retrospective study. History, clinical signs, and clinicopathological and pathologic findings in horses diagnosed histologically with gastric neoplasia were reviewed.


RESULTS
Horses ranged in age from 9 to 25 years (median 18 years at presentation). There was no apparent breed or sex predisposition. The most common presenting complaints were inappetance (17/24), weight loss (14/24), lethargy (7/24), hypersalivation (7/24), colic (5/24), and fever (5/24). The most consistent clinical signs were tachypnea (10/19), decreased borborygmi (8/19), and low body weight (7/17). Useful diagnostic tests included rectal examination, routine blood analysis, gastroscopy, abdominocentesis, and transabdominal ultrasound examination. Anemia was the most common hematologic abnormality encountered (7/19), and hypercalcemia of malignancy was seen in 4/16 horses. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common tumor identified (19/24), and was most often (14/19) found as a single ulcerated, necrotic mass in the nonglandular portion of the stomach. Other gastric neoplasms encountered were leiomyoma (n=2), mesothelioma (n=1), adenocarcinoma (n=1), and lymphoma (n=1). Metastatic neoplasia was found in 18/23 horses. The median time from onset of clinical signs to death was 4 weeks, and all horses died or were euthanized because of gastric neoplasia.


CONCLUSIONS
Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common primary gastric neoplasia in horses. The survival time after diagnosis of gastric neoplasia in horses is short.
Taylor
S D
SD
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. staylor@vetmed.wsu.edu
Haldorson
G J
GJ
Vaughan
B
B
Pusterla
N
N
D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*