Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Forelimb tic in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1982
- Authors:
- Beech, J
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
An 18-month-old male Quarter Horse was brought in for a tic that started after he injured his right front leg about four weeks earlier. The leg seemed weak and had regular twitches that were strong enough to move his body, neck, and head, and he often threw the leg forward. The twitching continued even while he was sleeping but stopped when he was put under anesthesia or sedated. Despite trying various medications and treatments, the twitching did not improve during his 21 days in the hospital, but it did go away on its own about ten weeks after he returned home. The tests done on his muscles and spine showed no abnormalities, leading to a suspicion of a spinal cord issue or nerve pain related to the injury.
Abstract
An 18-month-old male Quarter Horse was referred for evaluation of a tic that had started after injury to the right forelimb 4 weeks earlier. The right forelimb appeared paretic and had constant regular twitches of variable intensity that were usually sufficiently forceful to move the trunk, neck, and head. The horse frequently threw the limb forward. The twitch persisted during sleep but disappeared during general anesthesia and following sedation with xylazine. It was unaffected by acetylpromazine, diphenylhydantoin, diazepam, carbamazepine, trimethadione, procainamide, quinidine, propranolol, dantrolene, methocarbamol, dimethyl sulfoxide mixed with xylocaine, or by low volar nerve anesthesia. It remained unchanged during 21 days of hospitalization but had stopped 10 weeks after discharge. Electromyographic tracings of the limb and neck and radiographs of the cervical and proximal thoracic spine, scapulohumeral joints, and adjacent ribs were normal. A localized spinal cord lesion or peripheral neuropathy and neuralgia secondary to trauma were suspected.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7199039/