title: Diagnostic exercise: poor performance in a racehorse.
abstract: A 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding presented with a 97-day history of poor performance and intermittent fever. Clinicopathologic changes included increased serum activity of γ-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase, mild hyperbilirubinemia, and leukocytosis with neutrophilia and lymphopenia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed hepatomegaly with hyperechoic hepatic parenchyma and biliary distention. Pathologic findings included marked hepatomegaly (liver 3.6% of body weight), firm hepatic consistency with a diffuse enhanced reticular pattern, severe portal bridging and sinusoidal fibrosis, oval cell/bile duct hyperplasia, and bile stasis. The differential diagnoses and diagnostic workup to achieve the diagnosis are briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA fgiannitti@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannitti
authors.affiliation: Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery, Richmond, CA, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.affiliation: Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery, Richmond, CA, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.affiliation: California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006736:Horses; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000662:veterinary; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: Avena fatua (wild oat); choledocholithiasis; choledochus; foreign body; horse; liver; obstruction