Ethylene glycol toxicosis in 39 sport horses following ingestion of contaminated water: A case report

Abstract

Ethylene glycol toxicosis is a common occurrence in dogs and cats but has been reported in other species as well. Up to date, only one case of ethylene glycol toxicosis has been described in horses, and specific guidelines for treating ethylene glycol intoxication in this species are not available. Here we describe the case of 39 sport horses that ingested water contaminated with ethylene glycol. The main clinical sign was apathy, but more severely affected individuals also developed abdominal pain and laminitis. Treatment was initiated around 24 h after the exposure, using ethanol as an antidote, which was administered initially through a nasogastric tube and subsequently via perfusion. Five horses required hospitalization, but all 39 horses recovered. Based on biochemical measurements performed at different timepoints, we proposed several markers that can be used to determine the need for specialized care early on during the treatment.