ABSTRACT
An 8-year-old stallion was evaluated because of recurrent urinary tract infections and chronic intermittent urospermia. After extensive diagnostic testing, it was hypothesized that the stallion had a reflex dyssynergia of the bladder and urethral sphincter. Initial attempts to manage the urospermia included semen fractionation, semen collection after voluntary urination, and use of semen extenders. None of these efforts reliably yielded a quality ejaculate. Administration of imipramine hydrochloride (1.2 mg/kg of body weight, PO, 4 hours prior to semen collection) was initiated in an attempt to enhance bladder neck closure during ejaculation. This treatment, combined with voluntary urination prior to ejaculation, resulted in ejaculates containing little or no urine. Using this protocol, 19 of 20 mares bred during the subsequent 2 years became pregnant. By the third year, the bladder dysfunction had progressed, and the urospermia was no longer manageable. Bladder catheterization, followed by manual expression of the bladder per rectum, were necessary prior to each semen collection to obtain a urine-free ejaculate. Three-and-a-half years after initial examination, transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with metastasis was identified, and the stallion was euthanatized. It is not known whether the transitional cell carcinoma was related to the dysfunctional bladder. Imipramine hydrochloride did not eliminate, but did reduce, the frequency and degree of urospermia in the affected stallion for approximately 2 years.
Subject(s)
Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Horse Diseases/drug therapy , Imipramine/therapeutic use , Urinary Bladder Diseases/veterinary , Urinary Bladder/drug effects , Abdominal Neoplasms/secondary , Abdominal Neoplasms/veterinary , Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors/pharmacology , Animals , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/etiology , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/pathology , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/veterinary , Female , Horse Diseases/etiology , Horse Diseases/physiopathology , Horses , Imipramine/pharmacology , Lung Neoplasms/secondary , Lung Neoplasms/veterinary , Male , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Rate , Semen/chemistry , Spinal Neoplasms/secondary , Spinal Neoplasms/veterinary , Urinary Bladder/physiopathology , Urinary Bladder Diseases/drug therapy , Urinary Bladder Diseases/physiopathology , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/etiology , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/veterinary , Urinary Catheterization/veterinary , Urinary Retention/drug therapy , Urinary Retention/physiopathology , Urinary Retention/veterinary , Urine , Videotape RecordingABSTRACT
Equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) affected 6 of 10 pleasure horses in adjacent paddocks at a boarding facility. Four of the 6 affected horses died or were euthanized. Two of 3 horses presented for treatment survived with complete resolution of clinical signs. Treatment was primarily supportive. Dimethyl sulfoxide, dexamethasone, flunixin meglumine and thiamine were administered as anti-inflammatory agents and to decrease or prevent cerebral edema. Fusarium monileforme was cultured from ear corn fed the affected horses. Fumonisin B1, B2 and B3 were isolated.
