Aural Plaques in Crossbred Working Horses

ABSTRACT

Background: The aural plaque is a papillomatosis variant that occurs in the inner surface of the auricular pavilion of equine. The disease is associated with economic losses in the equine sector, since it reduces the commercial value of the severely affected animals. However, there are few studies evaluating the occurrence of aural plaques in different breeds and equine populations in Brazil and in other countries. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency, clinical and histological characteristics of the aural plaques in working horses from Lages, SC, Brazil.Materials, Methods & Results: Seventy-three crossbreed equines were used, including 48 males and 25 females between 1 and 25 years old, and that were used as working horses (traction) in the urban perimeter in the city of Lages, SC. The findings related to breed, age, sex, presence or absence of compatible lesions with aural plaques, anatomical location and lesion characteristics were evaluated and annotated. The lesions were photographed and drawn on paper to determine the size and distribution in the ear and were reevaluated for a period of two months with an interval of 30 days between each evaluation. The number of aural plaques was determined by manual counting in each auricular pavilion, which were divided into four quadrants (left and right upper, right and left lower). When the plaque was locat