Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Neuromuscular arthrogryposis multiplex congenita in a thoroughbred foal.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 1984
- Authors:
- Mayhew, I G
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A newborn thoroughbred foal was diagnosed with a condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, which affected only its left hind leg. This condition involved a significant loss of large motor neurons, which are important for movement, in the spinal cord on that side. The affected leg also showed underdevelopment of nerves, muscles, and bones. Despite thorough examination, the exact cause of this condition remains unknown, similar to many cases seen in humans. Unfortunately, the treatment outcome is not specified, so it’s unclear if any interventions were effective.
Abstract
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita was studied in a newborn thoroughbred foal. The syndrome affected only the left hind limb allowing the right hind limb to serve as a reference. There was a significant depletion of large motor neurons from the ventral horn of the spinal cord from L3 to S4 on the affected side. Hypoplasia of nerves, muscles, and bones was present in the affected limb. Histologically, hypoplasia and degeneration of myofibers and nerve bundles were seen. No cause of the syndrome, which corresponds to most human cases, was determined. Neuromuscular arthrogryposis was diagnosed because of the difficulty in distinguishing primary neuropathic from primary myopathic forms of the disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6730202/