A 15-year-old Belgian gelding presented in respiratory distress, with bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge, and right-sided epistaxis. The horse had a 5-year history of dental disease and had been recently losing weight. Radiographs indicated tooth root abscessation of the right maxillary third molar tooth and probable maxillary sinus feed impaction. These findings were confirmed at surgery and necropsy. The stippled, granular radiographic appearance described here is highly characteristic of sinus feed impaction.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
PrichardMAHackettRPErbHN. Long-term outcome of tooth repulsion in horses: A retrospective study of 61 cases. Vet Surg1992; 21:145–149.
2.
LillichJD. Complications of dental surgery. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract1998; 14:399–410.
3.
DixonPMTremaineWH. Equine Dental disease Part 4: A long-term study of 400 cases: Apical infections of cheek teeth. Equine Vet J2000; 32:182–194.
4.
DixonPMTremaineWH. Equine dental disease Part 3: A long-term study of 400 cases: Disorders of wear, traumatic damage and idiopathic fractures, tumours and miscellaneous disorders of the cheek teeth. Equine Vet J2000; 32:9–18.
5.
LaneJGGibbsC. Radiographic examination of the facial, nasal and paranasal sinus regions of the horse: I. indications and procedures in 235 cases. Equine Vet J1987; 19:466–473.
6.
TudorRARamirezO. A congenital malformation of the maxilla of a horse. Vet Radiol Ultrasound1999; 40:353–356.
7.
MilneMEMuurlinkT. Sinus mass due to feed impaction in a donkey – the use of advanced diagnostic imaging to assist surgical planning, and attempted surgical repair of an oronasal fistula. Aust Equine Vet2008; 27:34–39.
8.
CarmaltJL. Understanding the equine diastema. Eq Vet Educ2003; 15:34–35.
9.
CarmaltJLAllenAL. Morphology of the occlusal surfaces of the premolar and molar teeth as an indicator of age in the horse. J Vet Dent2008; 25:182–188.
10.
ButlerJACollesSJ. The Head. In: Clinical radiology of the horse. 3rd ed.Ames: Wiley-Blackwell, 2008; 413–503.
11.
GibbsCLaneJG. Radiographic examination of the facial, nasal and paranasal sinus region of the horse: II. radiographic findings. Equine Vet J1987; 19:474–482.
12.
PeaseAP. The equine head. In: ThrallDE, ed. Textbook of veterinary diagnostic radiology. 5th ed.St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier, 2007; 160–178.
13.
HawkesCSEasleyJ. Standing treatment of oromaxillary fistulae in nine standing horses (2002–2006). Equine Vet J2008; 40:546–551.
