Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Neuroaxonal dystrophy associated with vitamin E deficiency in two Haflinger horses.
- Journal:
- Journal of comparative pathology
- Year:
- 1990
- Authors:
- Baumgärtner, W et al.
- Affiliation:
- Institut fü
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Two female Haflinger horses, aged 1 and 2 years, were diagnosed with a condition called neuroaxonal dystrophy, which is linked to a deficiency in vitamin E. Both horses started showing signs of trouble with coordination, particularly in their back legs, around 4 months old. A closer examination of their tissues revealed specific changes in their nervous system, indicating damage. Blood tests showed that both horses had very low levels of vitamin E, but their overall fat and selenium levels were normal. While it seems that this condition might run in families, it's still uncertain how exactly vitamin E deficiency relates to the neuroaxonal dystrophy, and more research is needed.
Abstract
Neuroaxonal dystrophy and minimal diffuse degenerative myelopathy was diagnosed in two female full sibling, 1- and 2-year-old, Haflinger horses. Both animals developed slowly progressive ataxia from the age of 4 months. Clinical signs, which were more prominent in the hind legs, included hypermetria and dysmetria. Histological examination revealed neuroaxonal dystrophy characterized by spheroid formation, vacuolation, astrogliosis and lipofuscin pigment deposition in macrophages and neuronal perikarya. These changes were restricted to the gracilis and cuneate nuclei, nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus intermediomedialis in the sacral and the seventh segment of the cervical spinal cord and Stilling-Clarke's column in both horses and the medial vestibular nucleus in the older horse. Both diseased Haflingers had significantly reduced serum alpha- and gamma-tocopherol values. No significant alteration in serum total lipid concentrations and serum selenium values were observed. It is likely that the condition has a familial hereditary basis. It is unclear whether there is a link between the observed neuroaxonal dystrophy and vitamin E deficiency and further investigations are warranted.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2394844/