Wobbler Syndrome
Wobbler syndrome is a compression of the
spinal cord that primarily causes
ataxia in the
.
Wobbler syndrome can be caused by a congenital malformation, a developmental orthopaedic disease of the cervical vertebrae or can be acquired due to trauma. are predisposed to wobblers as the neck is weak and unstable leaving the vertebrae more vulnerable to injury and degeneration of the intervertebral joints. Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Quarter Horses are more commonly affected by CSM and CVM as they are predisposed to developmental orthopaedic disease. Horses with long, thin All horses affected by Wobbler syndrome experience compression of the white matter of the cervical spinal cord by the cervical vertebrae. This affects the conduction of impulses of the upper motor neurons. The neurons that supply the hind limb are most affected as these neurons are most in the cervical region of the spinal cord. In severe cases there may be compression of the neurons that supply the forelimb, and even the neck, in which case neurological deficit would be seen in these areas as well as in the hind limb. Wobblers can be classified by the type of deformity of the cervical vertebrae and by the clinical presentation of the syndrome. Cervical vertebral malformation (CVM) or cervical vertebral instability (CVI) involves the articular surfaces of the cervical vertebrae. Lesions or malformation of the articular surface change the normal movement of the joint causing , subluxation or luxation that impinges on the cervical spinal cord. Acute trauma may also be the cause of subluxation or luxation even in horses with normal cervical vertebral articulations. of the vertebral canal, the canal the spinal cord travels through. The narrowing of this canal causes compression on the cervical spinal cord. Cervical stenotic myelopathy (CSM) involves a congenital Wobbler syndrome can also be classified as . Horses with dynamic wobbler’s only show clinical signs when the neck is flexed ventrally or laterally, while those with the static presentation show clinical signs no matter the position of the neck. Dynamic wobblers most commonly affects the joint between , and is indicative of CVM/CVI. Static wobbler's most commonly affects , and is indicative of CSM. The signs of both dynamic and static wobblers are increased when the neck is flexed. or The clinical presentation of wobbler syndrome include ataxia, incoordination, weakness, loss of balance, falling, hypermetria, wide stance, toe dragging, knuckling of the hind limb, delayed protraction and circumduction of the hind limb. All symptoms are more pronounced when the neck is , when the horse is turned on a tight circle or when the horse is backed up.
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