Torsion of the spermatic cord in a horse.

A 360-degree torsion of the left spermatic cord was diagnosed in a 2 1/2-year-old Quarter Horse colt. Clinical signs included abdominal discomfort, with slight elevations in heart and respiratory rates. The scrotum on the left side was moist and edematous. The left testicle was enlarged, firm, and retracted slightly toward the abdominal cavity. The colt resented palpation of the testicle. On rectal palpation, the left vaginal ring and the structures passing through the ring were edematous and painful to pressure. Surgical correction was achieved by emasculation. The tail of the epididymis and an elongated portion of the body of the epididymis were attached to the left testicle by an unduly long mesorchium. The caudal ligament of the epididymis and the proper ligament of the testis were elongated. These anatomic variations may have predisposed to torsion of the spermatic cord.