Primary haemangiosarcoma in the proximal humerus of a Clydesdale gelding

Abstract

Summary An 11‐year‐old Clydesdale gelding was presented for investigation of left forelimb lameness of 2 weeks' duration. The use of scintigraphic imaging helped to localise the source of lameness to the left proximal humerus. In this report, the clinical and diagnostic imaging features of a primary osseous haemangiosarcoma in a horse are described, along with the challenges of establishing a definitive diagnosis ante mortem. In addition, neoplasia of the appendicular skeleton should be considered a differential cause of lameness in the horse.

Haemangiosarcoma in two full sibling American Quarter Horse geldings

“…; Cottle et al . ), surgery (Kiupel et al . ), or trauma to the mass (Hargis and McElwain ; Jean et al .…”

Severe hindlimb lameness and pathological femur fracture in a horse secondary to haemangiosarcoma

“…Alternatively, a scintigraphic examination could be performed without the risk of general anaesthesia in a horse with a suspected femur or pelvis fracture (Pilsworth 2011) and is likely to have yielded increased radiopharmaceutical uptake, which has been described in haemangiosarcoma of the humerus of a Clydesdale gelding (Cottle et al . 2008).…”

“…Marked bleeding has been described following biopsy (Waugh et al . 1977; Cottle et al . 2008) or fine needle aspiration (Pille et al .…”

“…This case demonstrates the difficulty in reaching a clinical diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma as a cause of severe lameness in the horse. Neoplasia should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for horses with severe lameness and limb swelling, especially when routine diagnostic examinations fail to identify a cause and the affected horse shows anaemia or undifferentiated intramuscular masses (Knottenbelt and Clegg 2004; Cottle et al . 2008).…”

“…Haemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumour of vascular endothelial origin (Cottle et al . 2008) that rarely affects horses: it occurred in 0.01% (Braun 2007) and 0.05% (Johns et al .…”