22% equine neurologic disorders 1:3 brain:spinal cord Diagnosis Radiography Brain injury 50% head trauma cases Haemorrhage Brain swelling Coup/contracoup Spinal cord injury Usually cervical Proprioceptive deficit Degree of trauma Site of damage Sudden onset ataxia Reluctance to move Recumbency Stiff painful neck Sweating Spinal cord ischaemia = 2y injury

Neurological Dysfunction Equine Flashcards by Hannah Wolverson

What are some neurological disorders?

Congenital Lesions
Trauma
Cervical Vertebral Stenotic Myelopathy
Inflammatory/Infectious Conditions
Degenerative Conditions
Neoplasia (new or abnormal growth of tissue)
Neuromuscular Diseases
Peripheral Nervous System Disorders

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What are congenital lesions?

Congenital hydrocephalus
Rare (3% congenital abnormalities)
Possibly hereditary
Often aborted or stillborn
Cerebral disease
- Dullness
- Blindness
- Strabismus (wall eye)
- Nystagmus (increases eye movement)
- Seizures

born with it
•Diagnosis:
•Radiography/Ultrasonography

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Where can congenital lesions occur? (three examples)

Occipito-atlanto-axial malformation
- Developmental abnormalities of occipital condyles, atlas and axis
- Hereditary in Arabian horses
Clinical signs:
- Stillborn
- Ataxic at birth
- Progressive ataxia
- Extended neck carriage
Diagnosis
- Radiography
Malformation of the spine
- Kyphosis
- Scoliosis
- Lordosis
Incidence 2.9%
Rarely neurological
Butterfly vertebrae
- Dorsal to ventral cleft
Hemivertebrae
- Wedge-shaped
Block vertebrae
- Fused ventral bodies
Rarely neurological
Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome – also known as barker syndrome, dummy foal syndrome, wander foal.
Caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during birth
Symptoms
- Loss of sucking reflex
- Seizures or convulsions
- Emitting of strange, unusual whinnies or barking sounds
- Lack of coordination
- Weakness
- Respiratory distress
- Circulatory stress
- Recumbency
- Coma
- Signs of blindness
- Erratic movements and behaviour

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What is trauma?

22% equine neurologic disorders
1:3 brain:spinal cord
Diagnosis
Radiography
Brain injury
50% head trauma cases
Haemorrhage
Brain swelling
Coup/contracoup
Spinal cord injury
Usually cervical
Proprioceptive deficit
Degree of trauma
Site of damage
Sudden onset ataxia
Reluctance to move
Recumbency
Stiff painful neck
Sweating
Spinal cord ischaemia = 2y injury

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What is cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy- wobblers?

•Leading cause of non-infectious spinal cord ataxia
•Affects 2% of TB horses
•Chronic and/or repetitive trauma
•Conduction block
due to axonal loss
neurological signs
•Insidious in onset
•Typically progressive
•Acute exacerbation after what may seem a minor trauma

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What is Cervical Vertebral Stenotic Myelopathy?

Developmental disease of the cervical vertebrae
- Malformation
- Malarticulation
Multi-factorial disease
- Genetic predisposition
- Environmental influences
Risk factors
- Young horses (1-2 y/o)
- Rapid growth
- High carbohydrate ration
- Zinc excess
- Copper deficiency (defective lysyl oxidase)
- Calcium/phosphorus imbalance
- Similar to other developmental orthopaedic diseases: OCD
Second class of horses is generally older
Osteoarthritic enlargement of articular processes (mainly caudal cervical)
External trauma
Soft tissue changes
Thickening of the surrounding ligaments
Thickening of the joint capsules
Synovial cyst formation
Only a few develop clinical signs
Diagnosis
- Radiography
- Myelography
- Post Mortem
Surgery – ‘Seattle Slew’
- 80% improve
- 63% return to athletic function
- 15% suitable for breeding
- 10% pasture sound
- 12% failure to improve
Non-surgical treatment
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Steroids
NSAIDs
Older horses (Grade 0-2)
Peri-articular joint injection
Steroids
Hyonate
<1yo
Restricted diet
Reduced protein
Reduced carbohydrate
Balanced zinc and copper
Restricted exercise

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What is Viral- Equine herpesvirus (1,4)?- inflammatory/ infectious conditions

EHV-1
Respiratory disease
Abortion
Neonatal death
Neuropathy (nerve pain)
EHV-4
Milder respiratory form
Rarely abortion
Not linked to neuropathy
Viral - Equine Herpesvirus (1,4) cont.
Mainly spinal cord
Ataxia
Dysmetria
Weakness
Paralysis
Spastic bladder
Supportive treatment
Mild case => fair prognosis
Recumbent case => guarded, residual deficits
Vaccination

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What viral infections are not present in the uk?- inflammatory/ infectious conditions

Rabies
Togavirus - Eastern/Western/ Venezuelan equine encephalitis
Equine Infectious Anemia
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM)

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What bacterial infectious/ Inflammatory conditions are there and what do they do?

Bacterial
Foals
E. coli
Salmonella
Septicaemia and immunosupression
Adults
Streptococcal species
Sinusitis
Meningitis

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What infectious/ Inflammatory conditions are there?

Foals
Depression
Disorientation
Loss of suckle reflex
Recumbency
Seizures
Adults
Local lesions (abscess)
Ataxia
Dementia
Blindness seizures

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How do you treat infectious/ Inflammatory?

Antibiotics
Anti-inflammatory therapy
Symptomatic therapy

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What is tetnus?-inflammatory/ infectious conditions

Clostridium tetani - bacteria
Common soil organism (spores)
Deep penetrating wounds
Produces 3 potent biological neurotoxins
Tetanospasmin
Haemolysin
Peripheral acting non spasmogenic toxin
Neurotoxins affect signals at the nerve synapses

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What are the onset signs of 2-21d tetnus? and what are the treatments? -inflammatory/ infectious conditions

Onset of signs 2-21d
Hyperaesthesia – excessive reaction to stimulation
3rd eyelid prolapse
Stiff gait
‘Anxious’ expression
‘Sawhorse’ stance
Dysphagia – loss of swallowing function
Trismus – lock jaw
Recumbency
Treatment
Antibiosis
Tetanus antitoxin
Muscle relaxants
Diazepam
Supportive therapy
Vaccination very effective

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What is botulism and what are its treatments?-inflammatory/ infectious conditions

Botulism
Clostridium botulinum
Soil organism
Forage stored in plastic bags
Forage poisoning
Wound botulism
Treatment
Antitoxin
+/- antibiosis
Supportive therapy
Incubation: 12h-10d
Diffuse flaccid paralysis
Symmetrical loss of muscle strength
Sudden death
Dysphagia
Slow, shuffling gait
Toe drag
Mydriasis – prolonged dilation of pupils
Drooping eyelids
Reduced tongue tone
Muscle fasciculations/trembling

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What are parasites and how do you treat?-inflammatory/ infectious conditions

Parasites
Strongylus vulgaris
Hypoderma spp.
Habronema spp.
Signs reflect migration path
Treatment
wormer with rapid kill to minimise progression
Possible acute worsening due to inflammatory response to parasite death
Anti-inflammatory therapy

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What is neoplasia- tumors?

Study These Flashcards

Rare in the horse
Lymphosarcoma
Haemangiosarcoma
Melanoma
Glioma
Sudden onset
Progressive paresis

What is sporadic stringhalt?- Neuromuscular diseases

Study These Flashcards

Worldwide
Unilateral
Preceded by trauma
Absence of neurogenic changes

What is plant associated stringhalt?- Neuromuscular diseases

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Dandelion/flat weed/cheese weed
Pelvic limb hyperflexion
Recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis
Shiverer
Cause and pathogenesis unknown
Often draught horses
Horse trembles one or both back legs when backing or lifting a limb, tail is raised
Difficult to pick up hindlegs
Gait relatively normal
Progresses over time

What is equine motor neurone disease?- Neuromuscular diseases

Study These Flashcards

Sporadic occurrence
2-27 years old
Low plasma Vitamin E
Degeneration and loss of upper motor neurons

Diagnosis
•Muscle biopsy
•Nerve biopsy

Clinical signs
•Muscle weakness
•Atrophy
•Trembling
•Sweating
•Frequent episodes of recumbency
•Weight shifting HL
•Limbs gathered under body
•Tail elevation
•Low head carriage
•Mydriasis – pupil dilation
•Pigment retinopathy

Treatment
•Vitamin E supplementation
•40% progressively deteriorate
•40% improve
•20% survive with deficits

What is ancylosing spondylosis?

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Arthritis of the spine
Back pain
Osteophyte formation of vertebrae
Can be incidental finding
Painful while forming
Can fuse part of spine
Possible neurological signs

What can cause peripheral nervous system disorders?

Study These Flashcards

Trauma
Pressure
Stretch
Force
- External
- Internal

What is neurogenic atrophy peripheral nervous system disorders?

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Neurogenic atrophy
Loss of ½ muscle mass within 2 weeks
No recovery if loss of innervation > 12 months

How do you treat peripheral nervous system disorders?

Study These Flashcards

Treatment
•Acute phase
  •NSAIDs
  •Steroids
  •Hydrotherapy
  •Limb support/protection

Later
•Limited exercise
•Physical therapy
  •Hydrotherapy
  •Muscle massage
  •Therapeutic ultrasound
  •Passive flexion

What is facial nerve- peripheral nervous system disorders?

Study These Flashcards

Facial nerve
Dropped ear
Drooping eyelids
Collapsed nostril
Muzzle deviation

What is sweeny?

* Suprascapular nerve * ‘Sweeny’ * C6/C7 * Collision * Kick * Stretch * Infra/supraspinatus muscles

What is radial nerve- peripheral nervous system disorders?

* Blow to lateral humerus * Extension of elbow, carpus and digit * Inability to weight bear * Triceps alone * Carpus digit alone * Both groups

What is medial and ulnar nerve- peripheral nervous system disorders?

* Humeral fracture * External trauma * Hyperextension of carpus, fetlock and pastern joints * Stiff, goose-stepping gait

What is brachial plexus- peripheral nervous system disorders?

* Stretching * Compression between scapula and ribs * Both suprascapular nerve and radial nerve signs possible

What is femoral and obturator nerve- peripheral nervous system disorders?

``` Femoral nerve •L4/L5 •External trauma •Dystocia •General anaesthesia •Quadriceps •No stifle extension => unable to weight bear •Decreased stride length ``` ``` Obturator nerve •Pelvic fractures •Dystocia •Difficult foalings •Adductors of thigh •‘Splayed’ stance ```

What is sciatic and tibial nerve- peripheral nervous system disorders?

``` Sciatic nerve •Pelvic fractures •Hip extensors •Stifle flexors •Tarsal flexors •Digit extensors •Extended stifle and hock •Foot drag ``` ``` Tibial nerve •Uncommon •Digital flexors •Overflexion of limb with exaggerated placement •Can resemble stringhalt ```

What is polyneuritis equine, caudal equina- peripheral nervous system disorders?

* Degeneration of nerve function * Slowly progressive paralysis of * Tail * Anus * Rectum * Bladder * Hindlimbs (symmetrical) * Possibly allergy mediated * Cranial nerve signs also seen (asymmetrical)

Neurological Dysfunction Equine Flashcards

(31 cards)