Ataxia in Swedish warmblood and standardbred horses. A radiologic and pathology study.

This study examines and categorizes lesions in the cervical spine of young horses, which resulted in severe or longstanding ataxia (loss of control of body movements). The researchers categorize the findings into three groups: Static Cervical Compressive Myelopathy (SCM), Dynamic Cervical Compressive Myelopathy (DCM), and Cervical Myelopathy (CM). The consistent young age of the horses suggests a growth disturbance in the cervical vertebrae as a potential cause.

Overview of the Study

• The research was conducted on 28 young horses of the Standardbred Trotters and Swedish Warmblood breeds. These horses were selected because they were severely affected by ataxia, a loss of control of body movements.
• The horses were clinically and radiographically examined, with two exceptions where myelography was not done. Myelography is an imaging procedure used to evaluate spine abnormalities, including spinal canal narrowing or interruptions in the normal flow of spinal fluid.
• The horses were divided into three categories based on radiographic and pathological results.

Three Categories of Ataxia

• Static Cervical Compressive Myelopathy (SCM) – These horses had either a locked or flexed condition of the cervical vertebrae, arthropathy of the intervertebral joints, or an epidural cyst in the cervical spinal canal.
• Dynamic Cervical Compressive Myelopathy (DCM) – In a horse’s case diagnosed with DCM, the myelogram indicated stenosis (narrowing) when the horse’s neck was in a flexed position. No such narrowing was observed when the neck was in a neutral position or was extended.
• Cervical Myelopathy (CM) – For those in this category, no static or dynamic stenosis was observed, but histologic evidence of spinal cord degeneration was visible.

Insights from the Study

• All the horses suffering from the observed conditions were young, which suggests that these conditions might be associated with growth disturbances in the cervical vertebrae.
• The identification of these categories helps in understanding the leading causes of ataxia in young horses and can aid in suggesting potential treatment or prevention methods.