Three equines (a mare and 2 stallions) suffering from different degrees of subcutaneous (SC) emphysema
were admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital from July 2009 to August 2010. The common clinical
signs included rapid respiration, dyspnea, stiffness and reluctance to move. Palpation revealed that the
swelling was soft, painless, and crepitant. Clinical examination of the affected animals revealed the
presence of internal wounds due to tracheal perforation in case 1 and external wound at the axillary and
neck regions in cases 2 and 3, respectively. Ultrasonographic examination demonstrated the site of the
tracheal perforation in case 1 and the SC infiltration of gas in cases 2 and 3. Hematological examination
revealed leucocytosis, neutrophilia and lymphocytopenia in the mare affected with tracheal perforation,
but no changes found in the other cases. Cases no 2 and 3 were resolved within 7-10 days after surgical
interference included widening of the wound and squeezing out of the retained air, restriction of the
animal movement and daily intramuscular administration of penicillin (20,000 iu/kg BW) and a single
prophylactic dose (3000 iu/animal) of anti-tetanic serum. However, the mare affected with tracheal
perforation subjected to surgical interference including multiple skin incisions at different body areas to
squeeze out the SC air in adjacent to medicinal treatment and recovery extended to day 21. It was
concluded that SC emphysema could occur in equine secondary to obvious external wounds or
internal invisible wounds. The SC emphysema was successfully treated by surgical and medicinal
intervention to avoid the fatal complications (pneumothorax and pulmonary emphysema). To the best of
our knowledge, this is the first record of SC emphysema with different etiology. |
