Abstract
The most common abnormality of the umbilicus in the foal is the patent urachus. Patent urachus may be a congenital or acquired condition in foals in which the urachus fails to close spontaneously at or shortly after parturition. A 17-day-old male Thoroughbred foal was requested to the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory of Cheju National University. The foal showed clinical signs such as umbilical urination, anorexia, depression, lethargy, and abdominal pain for 10 days. Because of the umbilical urination, the surgery for patent urachus was performed, but he died next day. Grossly, many pale yellowish foci 10-20 mm in diameter were scattered on the throughout surface of lungs. Severe subcapsular hemorrhage was observed in left kidney. Large milky yellow mass 10X6-7 cm in size was found in the adjacent area of right kidney. Histopathologically, many abscesses with bacterial cocci were scattered in the blood vessels or adjacent pulmonary parenchyma of lungs. Severe numerous abscesses with intralesional bacterial cocci were mostly occupied in the abdominal mass from right kidney. Gram staining for tissue sections demonstrated numerous Gram positive cocci in pulmonary and abdominal abscesses. In bacterial culture, catalase-positive beta-hemolytic colonies were isolated and confirmed as Staphylococcus (S.) aureus by Vitek system. Based on the results, acquired patent urachus and then multiple abscesses may be originated from the umbilical cord infected with S. aureus in this foal.
