A 3-day-old Appaloosa colt was examined because of acute onset of ataxia, left-sided head tilt, fever and heart murmur. The foal continued to nurse but became increasingly depressed and mild colic. On plain radiological examination, the foal was normal. Uroperitoneum was diagnosed following abdominocentesis. Postmortem examination revealed bladder rupture. The lesion was in the dorsomedial part of the bladder wall. We suggested that the cause of bladder rupture was parturient trauma. Even though the rupture was associated with trauma, the margin of rupture of bladder was clearly smooth and regular.

A 3-year-old female Thoroughbred racehorse was presented following the accidental oral and skin administration of amitraz. This case report describes the clinical signs and the treatment of this horse. Clinical signs of amitraz toxicosis are associated with the stimulation of alpha2-adrenergic receptors. Amitraz is seldom fatal because the effects can be reversed by alpha2-adrenergic antagonists. The horse displayed typical clinical signs of colic, including pawing, small hard drops, tranquillisation, depression, ataxia, muscular incoordination and impaction colic lasting up to 7 days. The syndrome was accompanied by mild dehydration. The horse survived after persistent symptomatic treatment, including the giving of intravenous fluids, antibiotics, multiple doses of mineral oil per os, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and dexamethasone intramuscularly and intravenously.