Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Intervertebral disk prolapse and diskospondylitis in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1991
- Authors:
- Furr, M O et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences
Plain-English summary
A mature horse was found to have a problem with its spine called intervertebral disk prolapse, which was causing it to have trouble with coordination in its back legs, a condition known as caudal ataxia. X-rays and a special imaging test showed that a space between the vertebrae was collapsed. Although tests of the horse's spinal fluid and blood were mostly normal, there were signs of inflammation after the horse's condition worsened suddenly. This type of spinal issue is more commonly seen in certain dog breeds, but it's important for veterinarians to consider it when diagnosing horses with similar symptoms. The outcome of the treatment was not specified in the study.
Abstract
Intervertebral disk prolapse was diagnosed in a mature horse with clinical signs of caudal ataxia. Radiography and myelography demonstrated a collapsed intervertebral space and loss of the dorsal and ventral dye columns. Results of CSF analysis were normal, as were a CBC and serum biochemical profile. High CSF WBC count and high CSF creatine kinase activity were noticed following acute neurologic deterioration. While common in certain breeds of dogs, intervertebral disk prolapse is rarely reported in horses. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of horses with caudal ataxia.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1885311/