diseases of Equine spinal column

Wobblers is more scientifically known as what?

• cervicovertebral malformation

• cervivovertebral stenotic myelopathy

CVM is an ________ disease that is characterized by _____ of the spinal canal

• orthopedic

• stenosis

wobblers is general term that denotes _____________

cervical spine compression

A horse with wobblers will have what common characteristics

• ataxia

• weakness

• spasticity

What are the two clinical presentations of wobblers

• dynamic compression

• static compression

the dynamic compression form of wobblers is known as _____________

cervicovertebral instability(CVI)

the static compression form of wobblers is known as ____________

• cervicovertebral malformation

• cervicovertebral stenotic myelopathy

Cervicovertebral instability appears most commonly in ____ animals during neck _____ at __________ vertebral bodies

• young

• flexion

• C3-5

Cervicovertebral malformation appears most commonly in __________ animals at _______ vertebral bodies

• older

• C5-7

Both wobblers conditions van appear in ________ animals

growing

In growing animals wobblers has a similar pathogenesis as ____________

Osteochondritis dissecans

in older horses they could have ________ which cold lead to spinal cord compression

degenerative joint disease

What are predisposing factors that horses can have to get wobbles

• genetics

• environment

What environmental factors can lead to development of wobblers

• trauma

• excessive feeding

• low dietary copper and zinc

Horses with wobblers have _______ which result in toe dragging, hypermetria, and pacing all of which are worse in the ____________

• proprioceptive deficits

• rear limbs

wobblers signs are worse in the rear limb because the tracts are more what?

superficial

young animals with wobblers may have other what?

developmental orthopedic diseases

A way to diagnose wobblers on radiograph is called _____________ which is the ratio between __________ and ____________

• minimal sagittal ratio

• vertebral canal

• vertebral body

A normal minimal saggital ratio is over what?

50%

It is common for what to look like wobblers?

spinal cancer

damage to ascending tracts in the spinal cords results in _____________ while damage to descending tracts cause _____________

• decreased proprioception, pain and sensation

• LMN and UMN signs

It is important to remember that ________ are present at the site of a lesion while _____ are caudal to the lesion

• LMN signs

• UMN signs

what disease is multifocal asymmetric progressive and mainly effects the spinal cord but also brain and cranial nerves

Equine protozoal myeloencphalitis

What is the most common presentation of Equine protozoal myeloencphalitis

chronic with muscle atrophy

95% of EPM is caused by __________

S. neurona

5% of EPM is caused by ____________

N. hughesi

The definitive host of S. neurona is the _________ but when horses ingest the _________ their CNS can be infected

• opossum

• sporocyst

Horses are _______ hosts of N. hughesi

intermediate

What are risk factors of EPM

• stress

• immunity

• contact with feces from definitive host

Some key points to remember about EPM are what?

• high seroprevalence

• low disease incidence

• S. neurona exposure

A horse presents in the hospital for weird gait and strange behavior. Upon examination you notice asymmetric muscle atrophy and asymmetric weakness alongside a head tilt. This presentation causes you to think the host might most likely have what?

EPM

In order to definitively diagnose EPM you must complete what at the same time?

• serology

• CSF analysis

A horse with rhinopneumonitis is infected with what?

Equine herpes virus

The neurological manifestation of EHV-1 is called what?

Equine herpes myeloencephalapothay

EHM infection can cause __________ which allows recovered horses to carry the virus asymptomatically and shed it to other horses

latency

stress of horses who previously had EHV can lead to _____ which allows for infection of susceptible horses

reactivation

EHV- 1 causes neuronal signs in horses due to causing __________ which leads to _________ of CNS tissue

• vasculitis

• ischemia

EHV-1 causes _______ lesions and is not concentrated in one place

multifocal

Common clinical signs of EHM include what?

• Fever

• ataxia

• rear limb weakness

• recumbency

• incontinence

A horse presents in recumbency. After collecting a through history you hear from the owner that it had a high fever 1-2 weeks ago and is no unable to get up and unable to hold its pee. These clinical signs tell you that what disease is most likely causing this presentation?

EHV-1

A horse presents in recumbency. After collecting a through history you hear from the owner that it had a high fever 1-2 weeks ago and is no unable to get up and unable to hold its pee. After hearing this presentation what diagnostics would help you diagnose this the best?

• CSF analysis

• viral isolation/PCR

In a horse infected with EHV-1 what CSF characteristics would it have

• xanthochromia

• increased protein

• mononuclear cells

There are 2 neurodegenerative diseases associated with vitamin E what are they?

• Equine motor neuron disease

• equine degenerative myelopathy

What type of tissue does equine motor neuron disease mostly effect

gray matter

What type of tissue does Equine degenerative myelopathy mostly effect

white matter

A horse with equine motor neuron disease will present with what signs?

• weakness

• no ataxia

• neurogenic muscle atrophy

A horse with equine degenerative myelopathy will present with what signs?

• ataxia

• no muscle atrophy

Equine motor neuron disease affects mainly ________ especially those with a history of confinement

adult horses

Equine motor neuron disease affects ___ motor neurons which consume a lot of oxygen leading to atrophy

alpha

The best way to diagnose equine motor neuron disease is to do what?

• exclude other diseases

• test serum vitamin E concentrations

Equine degenerative myelopathy affects horses ___________ but mainly those less that _____ years old

• all ages

• 2