Lesões cutâneas em equídeos diagnosticadas no laboratório de patologia animal do Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia no período de 2010 a 2020 – estudo retrospectivo

Abstract

Introduction: Dermatological diseases in horses represent a significant challenge for veterinarians, as the skin plays a crucial role in protecting and regulating the animal's body temperature. Therefore, knowing the dermatological diseases that affect horses, including etiology and pathogenesis, is essential for an adequate and correct diagnosis. Objectives: to determine the type and incidence of skin lesions in horses, diagnosed at the Pathology Laboratory of the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia (HOVET-UFU), from 2010 to 2020, collecting information on the type of lesion, location and epidemiological data such as sex, breed, age of horses affected by skin lesions. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of necropsy and biopsy records from the Animal Pathology Laboratory of the Veterinary Hospital. Results and discussion: The study demonstrated the main breeds affected by dermatological diseases, as well as age, sex and other factors related to the horse. However, the most important thing for treatment is a good diagnosis, which can be conclusive depending on the veterinarian's ability to analyze. Conclusion: Equine skin biopsies are predominantly from neoplastic lesions, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most important skin tumor in this species. Regarding inflammatory lesions, their etiology is, in most cases, undetermined only by histopathology. Histopathology is just one of the many diagnostic tools available for horses. In this sense, it is necessary to combine information obtained from histopathology, with clinical information and other diagnostic tests to determine the definitive diagnosis of inflammatory lesions on the skin of horses.