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Relationships between radiography of cervical vertebrae and histopathology of the cervical cord in wobbling 19 foals.
Abstract: Nineteen wobbling foals (17 males and 2 females) showing lameness of hindlimbs at 6 to 21 months of age were investigated radiographically and histopathologically. Minimum sagittal diameter (MSD), minimum flexion diameter (MFD) and minimum dural sagittal diameter (MDD) were measured on plain radiograms or myelograms taken at neutral and flexed positions as indicators of narrowed vertebral canal. After necropsy, the cervical spines and the spinal cord were examined macroscopically and respectively the relationships between radiographic findings and the corresponding morphological lesions were evaluated. Radiographically, lower values than each minimum reference limits were recorded in 14 foals in MSD, 5 foals in MFD and 6 foals in MDD, respectively. According to the histopathologic examination, the disappearance of axons and myelin sheaths, vacuolated spongy degeneration and appearance of macrophages were recognized symmetrically in the white matter of the cervical cord. These lesions were centrally located at the spinal cord radiographically demonstrated as compressed sites in 12 out of 17 foals examined. Macroscopically, asymmetrical overgrowth of one side of the process, encroachment of articular processes into the intervertebral foramina and proliferation of bone around articular facets were observed in the articular processes of bone specimens in the caudal neck of 6 foals. In conclusion, the equine incoordination might mainly be caused by the cervical stenotic myelopathy resulting from cervical vertebral malformation, and therefore the cervical vertebral radiography, especially myelography, is quite very important and effective for the diagnosis of wobbling foals.
Publication Date: 1994-04-01 PubMed ID: 8075209DOI: 10.1292/jvms.56.227Google 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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This research investigates the relationship between the radiography of the neck bones and the disease conditions of the neck spinal cord in 19 young horses showing lameness of hindlimbs. The study highlights that equine lameness could mainly be caused by an abnormality in the neck bones, thus, fortifying the importance of radiography, particularly myelograms in the diagnosis of lameness in young horses.
Methodology of the Research
- The study was done on 19 foals (young horses) who showed signs of unsteady movement or wobbling, majorly affecting their hind limbs.
- Each horse was between 6 to 21 months of age, and out of the 19 foals, 17 were male and 2 female.
- Radiography and histopathologic examinations were done on the spine and spinal cord of these horses.
- Three measurements viz, Minimum sagittal diameter (MSD), minimum flexion diameter (MFD), and minimum dural sagittal diameter (MDD) were recorded from the radiograms or myelograms taken in both neutral and flexed positions.
- The radiographic findings were then compared against the observed histopathological conditions.
Findings of the Research
- Lower values than the set reference limits were recorded in 14 foals for MSD, 5 foals for MFD, and 6 foals for MDD respectively.
- The histopathological examination revealed symptoms of degradation, such as the disappearance of axons and myelin sheaths, the occurrence of vacuolated spongy degeneration, and the appearance of macrophages.
- These changes were observed to be centrally located at the compressed sites of the spinal cord in 12 out of 17 foals examined.
- On a macroscopic level, uneven growth on one side of the process, encroachment of articular processes into the intervertebral foramina, and bone proliferation around articular facets were noticed in 6 foals.
Conclusion and Implication of the Research
- The study concludes that the primary cause of horses’ incoordination or wobbling could be cervical stenotic myelopathy, which results from neck bone malformation.
- Thus, neck bone radiography, more specifically, myelography, is of utmost importance for diagnosing lameness in foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Tomizawa N, Nishimura R, Sasaki N, Nakayama H, Kadosawa T, Senba H, Takeuchi A.
(1994).
Relationships between radiography of cervical vertebrae and histopathology of the cervical cord in wobbling 19 foals.
J Vet Med Sci, 56(2), 227-233.
https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.56.227 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Japan.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
- Female
- Hindlimb
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Lameness, Animal / diagnostic imaging
- Lameness, Animal / pathology
- Macrophages / pathology
- Male
- Posture
- Radiography / veterinary
- Spinal Cord / pathology
- Vacuoles / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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