Equine dermatopathies in southern Brazil: a study of 710 cases

Abstract

A retrospective study of equine skin diseases diagnosed in the Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas was conducted between 1978 and 2013. The necropsy and biopsy protocols for horses received for diagnosis were reviewed to determine the prevalence of dermatopathies in southern Brazil. The most prevalent skin diseases in decreasing order were: sarcoid [234/710 (32.9%)], exuberant granulation tissue [81/710 (11.4%)], pythiosis [67/710 (9.4%)], squamous cell carcinoma [55/710 (7.7%)], papillomatosis [33/710 (4.6%)] and habronemiasis [30/710 (4.2%)]. Other skin lesions accounted for 25.3% of all cases studied. The Crioulo breed was the most prevalent [310/710 (43.6%)]. Horses aged between 2-5 years old [230/710 (32.3%)] were the most frequently affected. The data obtained in this study demonstrate the importance of skin diseases that affect horses in southern Brazil. The most of the dermatopathies observed in horses, although not resulting in death could cause aesthetic damage resulting in animal rejection, the inability to participate in collective sports activities and economic losses due to treatment and surgery costs