Ulcerative Lymphangitis in a 12 Year Old Stallion in Ibadan, Nigeria A Case Study

Ulcerative lymphangitis, a bacterial infection primarily caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is an important infectious disease of horses and ruminants affecting the cutaneous lymphatic vessels. Differential diagnosis of ulcerative lymphangitis include epizootic lymphangitis, a fungal infection, sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii, pyoderma, and glanders. The aim of this study is to describe the successful management protocol of ulcerative lymphangitis in a stallion in Ibadan, Nigeria. A 12 year old Arewa stallion was presented in December 2019 with cutaneous lesions, ulcerated wounds, anorexia, and weight loss. The lesions were present around the limbs, chest, facial and abdominal regions. Based on case history, the client previously had a mare presenting similar conditions, and decided to manage the mare according to his knowledge. Due to the unresponsiveness of the mare to the protocol incorporated by the client, resulted in the death of the mare. Furthermore, the client reported that three months earlier, the stallion had previously been managed for cutaneous myiasis with forceful expulsion of worms from the skin and the administration of ivermectin. Based on clinical and laboratory examinations, the case was diagnosed as ulcerative lymphangitis. Therapeutic management protocol includes the use of levofloxacin, an antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone drug class, diclofenac, tetanus antitoxin, and supportive therapy. The management protocol proved successful, with the stallion recovering 3 weeks posttreatment.