2/5/2024 0 Comments Signs of head trauma in horses![]() ![]() ![]() There is substantial overlap between types, and older horses can have developmental abnormalities despite a late onset of clinical disease, while very young horses can have bone remodeling that contributes to their clinical signs. In general, CVSM is often divided into two broad categories: one affecting young horses with neck instability (type I), and the other affecting older horses with arthritic joint changes in the neck bones (type II) ( Van Biervliet, 2007 Oswald et al., 2010). ![]() Simplistically, the deformed or unstable vertebrae press against the spinal cord, mixing up the signals from the brain to the limbs or vice versa. The development of the disease involves spinal cord compression due to structural abnormalities of the neck bones and joint spaces, joint or ligament instability, and soft tissue or bony changes of the neck. Its cause and manifestation are complicated, and CVSM is widely considered to be a developmental abnormality affected by genetic (inherited) traits and environmental influences, including diet, rate of growth, workload, and injury. Wobbler Disease or Cervical Vertebral Stenotic MyelopathyĬVSM, quite often referred to by the catch-all term “Wobbler Disease,” is one of the most common causes of incoordination in young sport horses. Many additional neurologic disorders exist that may result in gait deficits or performance problems, but are beyond the scope of this review. horses (cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, and equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy ) ( Bedenice and Johnson, 2018). The current review focuses on the recognition, diagnosis, and management of the three most commonly reported non-contagious neurologic conditions in U.S. The true onset of their neurologic signs can thus be difficult to determine. Athletes, such as hunters, jumpers, and dressage horses, with mild neurologic disease can often meet performance expectations to a certain point, or complete their existing job quite well (until their disease progresses or confounding conditions such as lameness develop). ![]() However, considerable differences in opinion can exist when grading neurologic abnormalities or assessing horses with more subtle clinical signs ( Olsen et al., 2014 Saville et al., 2017). There is generally little disagreement between veterinarians when assessing the presence or absence of neurologic signs in moderately to severely affected horses. The diagnosis of neurologic disease always starts with a detailed clinical examination and should not be based on diagnostic imaging (such as radiographs and ultrasound) or antibody testing for common infections (such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis) alone, since many horses have had exposure to infectious disease without clinical illness. A careful history, clinical examination, and appropriate diagnostic testing are thus essential for an accurate diagnosis. Neurologic disease can often mimic or be mistaken for a lameness, especially when horses present for performance problems. Horses with unspecific gait changes should therefore undergo a complete neurological examination. Horses with mild or early clinical signs of neurologic gait abnormalities often present for performance-related concerns that can be difficult to distinguish from a lameness condition. Cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), and equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM) are three of the most common, non-contagious neurologic diseases in U.S. ![]()
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