Systemic calcinosis in horses: Pathological and genetic aspects.

Background: In horses, systemic calcinosis is a rare syndrome characterised by muscle lesion associated with the mineralisation of large muscle groups or other organs, in the absence of an alternative cause for the calcification, such as toxic, enzootic or metabolic. Molecular and histopathological aspects of the disease are still poorly elucidated.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological, pathological and molecular aspects of systemic calcinosis in a convenience sample of six horses submitted to necropsy in the Southern and Midwestern regions of Brazil.