Vestibular disease, and its relationship to facial paralysis in the horse: a clinical study of 7 cases.

The research article focuses on understanding vestibular disease and its link to facial paralysis in horses, based on a clinical study of seven cases. The findings showed varying symptoms and intensity of the disease, and indicated trauma as a common cause.

Vestibular Disease Symptoms

The study discusses the observed symptoms of vestibular disease in horses, based on the evaluation of six cases. These symptoms included:

• Incoordination – horses had difficulty with coordination and movement.
• Head Tilt – affected horses exhibited a noticeable tilt in their head, unnatural to their common posture.
• Nystagmus – an involuntary eye movement condition was found in horses suffering from the disease.

The intensity of these symptoms varied greatly based on the duration of the disease.

Facial Paralysis and Vestibular Disease

In about half of the cases (exact number: three), horses afflicted with vestibular disease also suffered from facial paralysis. Facial paralysis is a condition characterized by lack of voluntary muscle movement in the face. The study sought to identify the reasons behind and relationships between the incidences of these two conditions, however, definitive conclusions were not reported in the abstract.

Tympanosclerosis and Vestibular Disease

All horses subjected to radiological evaluation were found with tympanosclerosis. Tympanosclerosis refers to a condition where there is a hardening or thickening of the tympanic membrane in the ear, which might be related to vestibular dysfunctions as it involves the ear structure. However, the exact cause of tympanosclerosis in these cases remained unknown.

Underlying Causes

Based on the studied cases, the researchers indicate that trauma was the predominant cause of vestibular disease in most instances. It is inferred that the trauma could have affected the inner ear, leading to the symptoms observed in the horses.