Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Extradural spinal hydatid cyst causing hindlimb ataxia in a horse.
- Journal:
- Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde
- Year:
- 2018
- Authors:
- Peter, V et al.
- Affiliation:
- Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old cob-cross gelding was brought in because he suddenly started having trouble with his back legs, a condition known as hindlimb ataxia. Three months earlier, he had surgery on his right hind leg and seemed fine afterward until this new problem appeared. Initially, the vets thought he might have hurt his spine, but X-rays and other imaging tests didn’t show anything wrong. Sadly, because his condition got worse quickly, the decision was made to euthanize him. A thorough examination after his passing revealed that a hydatid cyst, which is a type of parasitic infection, was pressing on his spinal cord, causing the issues with his legs. This case highlights that such cysts should be considered when diagnosing similar problems in horses.
Abstract
This case report describes a 13-year-old cob-cross gelding presented for evaluation of recent onset hindlimb ataxia. The gelding had undergone general anaesthesia and tenoscopy of the right hindlimb digital flexor tendon sheath at a nearby clinic three months earlier and had appeared normal at routine post-operative assessments until the sudden onset of neurological deficits. Spinal trauma was suspected initially but radiography and scintigraphy were unremarkable. Due to the severity and progressive nature of the clinical signs the -gelding was subjected to euthanasia. Post mortem examinations (computed tomography, dissection and histopathology) revealed spinal cord compression caused by a single extradural hydatid cyst (Echinococcus equinus), confirmed with PCR, at the level of the 15th thoracic vertebra. This is the first report of a spinal hydatid cyst causing hindlimb ataxia and should therefore be considered a potential differential diagnosis for ataxia in the equine patient.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30379133/