Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cerebello-olivary and lateral (accessory) cuneate degeneration in a juvenile American Miniature horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2000
- Authors:
- Fox, J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Biomedical Science and Pathobiology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 12-month-old American Miniature horse colt was taken to the veterinary hospital because he had been getting progressively unsteady on his feet for the past seven months. During the exam, the vet noticed that he had a shaky head, stood with his legs spread wide apart, and had trouble walking. After he passed away, a detailed examination of his brain showed areas of damage and cell loss in parts of the brain that help with coordination and balance. These findings suggest that he had a neurodegenerative disorder, which means his brain was slowly breaking down, affecting his ability to move properly. Unfortunately, the treatment options for this condition are limited, and the outcome was not favorable.
Abstract
A 12-month-old American Miniature horse colt was presented to the Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a 7-month history of progressive ataxia. Physical examination revealed a head intention tremor, base-wide stance, and ataxia. Necropsy findings were confined to the brain. There were bilateral areas of liquefactive necrosis and cavitation corresponding to the dorsal accessory olivary and lateral (accessory) cuneate nuclei. Cerebellar folia of the dorsal vermis were thin. Microscopically, the cerebellar cortex was characterized by patchy areas of Purkinje cell loss with associated variable thinning of the molecular and granule cell layers and astrogliosis. Dorsal accessory olivary and lateral cuneate nuclei were cavitated and had mild glial response around their periphery. Additionally, a focus of necrosis and neuropil vacuolization was found in the right putamen. These findings indicate the presence of a neurodegenerative disorder centered, but not confined to, the cerebellum and its connections in this American Miniature horse colt.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10810993/