Amyloidosis
Basic Information 
Epidemiology
Risk Factors
• Visceral amyloidosis develops secondary to chronic infections, severe strongylid parasitism, or excessive immune stimulation. It is a significant problem in horses used in the commercial production of hyperimmune serum.
• Cutaneous amyloidosis is not associated with chronic inflammation but possibly with the presence of malignant histiocytic lymphoma.
Clinical Presentation
Disease Forms/SubtypeS
• Most visceral cases are detected incidentally at necropsy.
• Protein-losing nephropathy and renal failure secondary to deposition of amyloid within glomeruli present as nephritic syndrome with massive proteinuria.
• Rarely involves the upper respiratory tract, including the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, guttural pouch, and associated lymph nodes.
• Cutaneous disease is associated with development of tumorlike amyloid nodules; papules and plaques; and subcutaneous amyloid deposits present on the head, neck, and chest.
History, Chief Complaint
• Disease of gradual insidious onset
• Secondary amyloidosis develops gradually in response to chronic inflammation in osteomyelitis, abscesses, traumatic pericarditis, or tuberculosis.
• Insidious signs of progressive liver and kidney failure
• Chronic weight loss leading to emaciation
• In renal failure, the animal is uremic and becomes comatose
• Amyloidosis of the gut wall may result in diarrhea
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