Metallic foreign bodies in the tongues of 16 horses.
Authors: Pusterla N, Latson K M, Wilson W D, Whitcomb M B
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Metallic foreign bodies in equine tongues Between 2006, Pusterla and colleagues examined 16 adult horses presenting with metallic foreign bodies lodged in the tongue, predominantly small wire fragments and one hypodermic needle, most likely acquired through hay feeding and use of cable-framed tractor tyre feeders. Clinical presentation was consistent across cases, with all horses displaying lingual swelling and excessive salivation alongside partial to complete anorexia; additional signs including fever, dysphagia, halitosis and unilateral tongue paralysis occurred in a subset of animals, with most presenting within 24 hours of injury. Diagnosis utilised oral examination combined with radiography and ultrasonography, enabling a treatment approach stratified by foreign body accessibility—four objects were removed during initial examination, nine required surgical extraction, and three cases were managed medically without extraction attempts. All horses recovered without complication following removal (where attempted) and supportive therapy with antimicrobials and NSAIDs, though the significant association between hay feeding systems and injury occurrence warrants attention to feeder design and management in practice. These findings emphasise the importance of rapid recognition and removal of metallic foreign bodies from the tongue, as early intervention combined with appropriate antimicrobial cover typically yields excellent prognoses, whilst also highlighting a preventable welfare risk linked to common stable equipment.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Suspect metallic foreign body in any horse presenting with acute tongue swelling, excessive salivation, and anorexia; use radiography and ultrasonography for diagnosis if oral examination fails
- •Review feeding management with clients using hay feeders and cable-framed tractor tyres, as these are common sources of wire contamination
- •Prompt removal of accessible foreign bodies plus standard antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy yields good outcomes; even conservative management without extraction can succeed
Key Findings
- •All 16 horses presented with swollen tongue, excessive salivation, and partial to complete anorexia, with most showing clinical signs for less than 24 hours
- •Foreign bodies were successfully removed in 13 of 16 cases (4 by oral examination, 9 surgically); 3 horses managed medically without extraction
- •12 of 13 identified foreign bodies were small wire pieces and 1 was a hypodermic needle
- •All horses recovered uneventfully with antimicrobial and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment; feeding hay and cable-framed tractor tyres as feeders were common risk factors