Confirmed and presumptive cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy in older horses: a retrospective study (1992-2004).
Abstract: Cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) is a common cause of myelopathy in horses aged 6 months to 4 years. Little information is available regarding the types of lesions, treatment, and outcomes in horses with CVCM that are > or =4 years old. Methods: Twenty-two affected horses (10 with a confirmed diagnosis of CVCM and 12 presumptive cases) and 210 contemporaneous control horses. Methods: Horses > or =4 years old that were diagnosed with CVCM between January 1992 and January 2004 were identified from medical records at Texas A&M University and the University of Florida. Data analyzed included history, signalment, neurologic examination findings, lesion location, treatment, and outcome. Signalment was also recorded in a population of contemporaneous controls. Results: Horses identified had a median age of 8.4 years, and there was a greater percentage of male horses among the cases than among the controls. The most common breeds represented were warmblood (n=6) and quarter horse (n=5) types; warmbloods were significantly (P < .05) overrepresented relative to control horses. The caudal cervical vertebral column was the most common site of CVCM lesions, and the C5-C6 (4/9) and C6-C7 (3/9) articulations were most often identified as abnormal via myelography. The most common lesions seen with radiography and myelography were articular process osteophytes. Of the 22 affected horses, 8 were euthanized and a diagnosis of CVCM was confirmed by necropsy for all; 5 of 8 of these horses had spinal cord compression caused, entirely or in part, by articular process osteophytes. Medical management was the therapy chosen in all horses, and administration of corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs resulted in improvement in the greatest number of horses. Conclusions: CVCM should be a differential diagnosis in older horses with cervical myelopathy. Articular process osteophytes are the most frequently identified cause of spinal cord compression in this group. Male horses and horses of warmblood or Tennessee Walking Horse breeds may be predisposed to this condition.
Publication Date: 2007-08-22 PubMed ID: 17708404DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2007)21[812:capcvc]2.0.co;2Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research focuses on a detailed study of cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) in horses, specifically the types of lesions, treatments, and outcomes in horses that are more than four years old. It provides valuable insights on the commonality of the disease, the predominant breeds affected, and the most effective treatment methods.
Methodology
- The study analyzed data from 22 horses diagnosed with CVCM, including 10 confirmed and 12 presumptive cases, and an additional 210 control horses.
- Horses older than 4 years diagnosed between 1992 and 2004 were included in the study. The information was collected from medical records at Texas A&M University and the University of Florida.
- Data such as history, signalment (age, breed, sex), neurologic examination findings, lesion location, treatment, and outcome were critically evaluated.
Results
- The median age of the diagnosed horses was roughly 8.4 years and a higher proportion of the cases were males compared to the controls.
- The most frequent breeds represented were warmbloods and quarter horses. Warmbloods were significantly more affected by CVCM compared to other breeds.
- Cervical vertebral column, particularly C5-C6 and C6-C7 articulations were identified as the most common sites of CVCM lesions.
- The most frequent lesions identified during radiography and myelography were articular process osteophytes – bone spurs on the spinal joints.
- During the study, eight horses were euthanized and CVCM was confirmed at necropsy in all the cases; 63% among them had spinal cord compression resulting partly or entirely from articular process osteophytes.
Treatment and Conclusion
- All affected horses were medically managed; administration of corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs led to significant improvements in the majority of cases.
- The research concluded that CVCM should be an important differential diagnosis in older horses with neural disorders along the spine.
- Articular process osteophytes were identified as the most prevalent cause of spinal cord compression in the group.
- Male horses, and warmblood or Tennessee Walking Horse breeds may be predisposed to this condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Levine JM, Adam E, MacKay RJ, Walker MA, Frederick JD, Cohen ND.
(2007).
Confirmed and presumptive cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy in older horses: a retrospective study (1992-2004).
J Vet Intern Med, 21(4), 812-819.
https://doi.org/10.1892/0891-6640(2007)21[812:capcvc]2.0.co;2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, USA. jlevine@cvm.tamu.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cervical Vertebrae / pathology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Retrospective Studies
- Spinal Cord Compression / diagnosis
- Spinal Cord Compression / pathology
- Spinal Cord Compression / therapy
- Spinal Cord Compression / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 17 times.- Hellige M, Schröder C, Seehusen F, Cavalleri JM, Rohn K, Stadler P, Geburek F. Computed tomographic myelography of the cranial cervical spine in Warmblood horses with no spinal pathology-Inter- and intravertebral ratios and distribution of contrast columns in neutral and flexed cervical spine. Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1375-1386.
- England D, Newsom L, White C, McKenzie E. Retrospective radiographic myelogram measurements and long-term outcomes in horses undergoing cervical interbody fusion surgery: 22 cases. PLoS One 2025;20(5):e0323083.
- Journée SL, Journée HL, Bergmann W, Chantziaras I, Vanderperren K, Raes E, Reed SM, de Bruijn CM, Berends HI, Delesalle CJG. Evaluation of the diagnostic value of transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) to assess neuronal functional integrity in horses. Front Neurosci 2024;18:1342803.
- Kondo T, Sato F, Tsuzuki N, Yamada K. Sex differences in cervical spinal cord and spinal canal development in Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Sep 21;84(10):1363-1367.
- Bergmann W, de Lest CV, Plomp S, Vernooij JCM, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Gröne A, Delany MW, Caliskan N, Tryfonidou MA, Grinwis GCM. Intervertebral disc degeneration in warmblood horses: Histological and biochemical characterization. Vet Pathol 2022 Mar;59(2):284-298.
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- Gough SL, Anderson JDC, Dixon JJ. Computed tomographic cervical myelography in horses: Technique and findings in 51 clinical cases. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2142-2151.
- Rijckaert J, Raes E, Buczinski S, Dumoulin M, Deprez P, Van Ham L, van Loon G, Pardon B. Accuracy of transcranial magnetic stimulation and a Bayesian latent class model for diagnosis of spinal cord dysfunction in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):964-971.
- Bergmann W, de Mik-van Mourik M, Veraa S, van den Broek J, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Gröne A. Cervical articular process joint osteochondrosis in Warmblood foals. Equine Vet J 2020 Sep;52(5):664-669.
- Haussler KK, Pool RR, Clayton HM. Characterization of bony changes localized to the cervical articular processes in a mixed population of horses. PLoS One 2019;14(9):e0222989.
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- Szklarz M, Lipinska A, Slowikowska M, Niedzwiedz A, Marycz K, Janeczek M. Comparison of the clinical and radiographic appearance of the cervical vertebrae with histological and anatomical findings in an eight-month old warmblood stallion suffering from cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM). BMC Vet Res 2019 Aug 15;15(1):296.
- Rijckaert J, Pardon B, Van Ham L, Joosten P, van Loon G, Deprez P. Magnetic motor evoked potentials of cervical muscles in horses. BMC Vet Res 2018 Sep 24;14(1):290.
- Estell K, Spriet M, Phillips KL, Aleman M, Finno CJ. Current dorsal myelographic column and dural diameter reduction rules do not apply at the cervicothoracic junction in horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2018 Nov;59(6):662-666.
- Shearer TR, Kinsley MA, Pease AP, Patterson JS. Development of a minimally invasive approach to equine cervical articular facet joints for placement of an ND:YAG LASER. Can Vet J 2017 Nov;58(11):1181-1186.
- Yamada K, Sato F, Hada T, Horiuchi N, Ikeda H, Nishihara K, Sasaki N, Kobayashi Y, Nambo Y. Quantitative evaluation of cervical cord compression by computed tomographic myelography in Thoroughbred foals. J Equine Sci 2016;27(4):143-148.
- Hughes KJ, Laidlaw EH, Reed SM, Keen J, Abbott JB, Trevail T, Hammond G, Parkin TD, Love S. Repeatability and intra- and inter-observer agreement of cervical vertebral sagittal diameter ratios in horses with neurological disease. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Nov-Dec;28(6):1860-70.
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