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Ischemic myelopathy caused by fibrocartilaginous emboli in a horse.
Abstract: A horse that suddenly became recumbent had a focal ischemic infarct of the spinal cord between C6 and C7. The infarct was attributed to multiple fibrocartilaginous emboli. Adherence of fibrocartilaginous debris to the outer surface of the dura was interpreted as evidence that intervertebral disc degeneration and displacement of the nucleus pulposus had occurred and that the emboli arose from the disc.
Publication Date: 1977-09-01 PubMed ID: 919238DOI: 10.1177/030098587701400507Google 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
Summary
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The research discusses a case where a horse that suddenly fell over was found to have a localized area of dead tissue in the spinal cord between vertebrae C6 and C7. This was caused by multiple fibrocartilaginous emboli, showing that an intervertebral disc had decomposed and its nucleus had shifted, leading to the emboli originating from the disc.
Research Context
- The study is founded on a case of a horse which abruptly became recumbent. Upon examination, the horse was found to have an ischemic infarct, which is an area of tissue that has become dead due to loss of blood supply, located in the spinal cord between the vertebrae C6 and C7.
Major Findings
- The ischemia, or loss of blood flow leading to tissue death, was determined to have been caused by multiple fibrocartilaginous emboli, which are particles composed of fibrous and cartilaginous material that cause obstruction in the blood vessels.
- These emboli were associated with degeneration and displacement of the intervertebral disc located between the two vertebrae in question.
- The displacement of the nucleus pulposus, which is the jelly-like substance in the middle of the spinal disc, had occurred, indicating a serious disease condition.
- The fibrocartilaginous debris clinging to the outer surface of the dura, which is the outermost layer of the membranes enclosing the brain and spinal cord, was taken as evidence of the occurrence of the intervertebral disc’s degeneration and displacement.
Implications
- From this study, we can infer that degeneration and subsequent displacement of intervertebral discs in horses can lead to serious complications, including the formation of fibrocartilaginous emboli.
- This condition can interrupt blood flow to the spinal cord, causing areas of the tissue to die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients.
- It’s vital for caretakers of horses to be aware of these potential risks, particularly because the onset can be sudden, as observed in this case.
- Further research is needed to determine the prevalence of this condition among horses and to develop effective treatment strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Taylor HW, Vandevelde M, Firth EC.
(1977).
Ischemic myelopathy caused by fibrocartilaginous emboli in a horse.
Vet Pathol, 14(5), 479-481.
https://doi.org/10.1177/030098587701400507 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cartilage
- Embolism / complications
- Embolism / pathology
- Embolism / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Infarction / etiology
- Infarction / pathology
- Infarction / veterinary
- Ischemia / etiology
- Ischemia / pathology
- Ischemia / veterinary
- Male
- Spinal Cord / blood supply
- Spinal Cord / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Veraa S, Scheffer CJW, Smeets DHM, de Bruin RB, Hoogendoorn AC, Vernooij JCM, Nielen M, Back W. Cervical disc width index is a reliable parameter and consistent in young growing Dutch Warmblood horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2020 Oct 13;62(1):11-9.
- Aleman M, Berryhill E, Woolard K, Easton-Jones CA, Kozikowski-Nicholas T, Dyson S, Kilcoyne I. Sidewinder gait in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2122-2131.
- Veraa S, Bergmann W, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, van den Belt AM. Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with location and MRI features. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2019 Nov;60(6):696-706.
- McBride R, Rylander H, Lyman D. Fibrocartilaginous embolic encephalopathy of the cerebellum and brainstem in a cat. Open Vet J 2018;8(4):489-492.
- Nakamoto Y, Ozawa T, Katakabe K, Nishiya K, Mashita T, Morita Y, Yasuda N, Ishii Y, Nakaichi M, Itamoto K. Usefulness of an early diagnosis for the favorable prognosis of fibrocartilaginous embolism diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging in 10 small- to middle-sized dogs. Vet Res Commun 2008 Dec;32(8):609-17.
- Nappert G, Vrins A, Breton L, Beauregard M. A retrospective study of nineteen ataxic horses. Can Vet J 1989 Oct;30(10):802-6.
- Foss RR, Genetzky RM, Riedesel EA, Graham C. Cervical intervertebral disc protrusion in two horses. Can Vet J 1983 Jun;24(6):188-91.
- Tessaro SV, Doige CE, Rhodes CS. Posterior paralysis due to fibrocartilaginous embolism in two weaner pigs. Can J Comp Med 1983 Apr;47(2):124-6.
- Kyle-LaBell E, Andersson A, Baughman B. Fibrocartilaginous Emboli in a 15-Year-Old Pony Mare. Vet Med Sci 2025 Nov;11(6):e70699.
- Tanaka T, Ito K, Miyagawa Y, Morishita M, Tomihari M, Hasegawa T. Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolus in Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus). J Vet Med Sci 2025 Mar 10;87(3):332-335.
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