Neck pain but not neurologic disease occurs more frequently in horses with transposition of the ventral lamina from C6 to C7.

The research was conducted to understand why horses might require neck radiographs, specifically focusing on the incidence of transposition of the ventral lamina of C6 onto C7 (TC67), and the final diagnoses in all horses. The study found that 20% of horses were diagnosed with TC67, with a significant higher incidence in warmblood horses. Also, it was found that neck pain, but not neurological diseases, was significantly more common in horses with TC67.

Objective and Methodology

The researchers aimed to determine the reasons for conducting neck radiographs in horses and to study the incidence of TC67. The secondary aim was to identify the final diagnoses for all horses and to confirm the hypothesis of a similar incidence of TC67 as reported in the past.

• The study was a retrospective observational study that analyzed medical records of 135 horses that had undergone cervical vertebral column radiographs between 2020 and 2022.
• The reasons for taking radiographs, the radiographic findings, and the final diagnoses were studied and analysed.
• The Shapiro-Wilk test used to determine normality and nonparametric tests were used to analyze data.

Results

The study carried out on 135 horses yielded interesting results.

• 20% of horses were diagnosed with TC67. More horses with TC67 were warmblood horses (63%), and TC67 was found in 28% of warmblood horses.
• There was no significant difference in whether the horses were in work between the groups, but more horses with TC67 performed in English disciplines (71%).
• No differences in reasons for examination or final diagnoses of neurologic disease, cervical orthopedic disease, or lameness were present between groups.
• In horses with neck pain, TC67 was significantly more common (31%) than in horses without (18%).

Conclusions

Based on the results of the study, the researchers concluded that TC67 is more common in warmblood horses, and that neck pain is significantly more common in horses with TC67. However, there were no differences found in the reasons for examination, final diagnoses of neurologic disease, cervical orthopedic disease, or lameness between the groups. The researchers suggest that given the complexity of the region and the limited existing research on neck pain and neck biomechanics in horses, there is a need for more standardized prospective studies.