Wobbler disease
Wobbler disease is a catchall term referring to several possible malformations of the cervical vertebrae that cause an unsteady gait and weakness in dogs and horses. A number of different conditions of the cervical spinal column cause similar clinical signs. These conditions may include malformation of the vertebrae, intervertebral disc protrusion, and disease of the interspinal ligaments, ligamenta f…
Can you get wobblers syndrome from a horse?
Wobblers Syndrome in Horses. When a vet makes a diagnosis of Wobblers Syndrome, testing must be done to rule out other neurological diseases. Interestingly, dogs can also have a canine version of Wobblers Syndrome. It is not zoonotic or contagious in any way, so there's no concern with passing the disease from animal to animal or to humans.
What kind of horse is prone to wobbling?
Some breeds such as Morgan Horse, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds seem to be most affected. Horses with long willowy necks are felt to be more prone to developing wobblers. Horses with wobblers syndrome will trip often and be stiff and uncoordinated when they move.
How old do horses have to be to have wobbling disease?
The disease is commonly diagnosed in horses 1-3 years of age. Recent research indicates that the radiographic and neurologic signs can be present in affected foals as young as 2-3 mo of age. Wobblers are reported all over the world and attack various breeds of horses.
Is there a genetic test for wobblers?
All that is needed is a simple cheek swab; there is no cost to participate, and home delivery and return shipping on Embark DNA Test Kits are included. Qualifying participants will: A complimentary Embark DNA test, including health, trait, and COI analysis. (Embark provides a free cheek swab with prepaid shipping).
How does a horse get wobblers?
An equine wobbler is a horse with a damaged spinal cord. This can occur from malformation of the vertebral column, advanced arthritis in the vertebral joints or injury to the vertebrae.
How common is wobblers in horses?
Cervical Vertebrae Stenotic Myelopathy (CVSM), commonly known as Wobblers Syndrome, is estimated to occur in around 2-3% of Thoroughbreds.
What age do horses get wobblers?
The first typically affects horses from 4 to 12 months of age and occurs most frequently between vertebrae C3 and C4, and C4 and C5. It causes pinching of the cord only when the neck is flexed.
Does wobblers suddenly start?
What are the symptoms of wobbler syndrome? Clinical signs are usually slow and gradual in onset. Some dogs will appear to suddenly get worse if they have trauma to the spinal cord during exercise or have a second spinal cord problem, such as a sudden disc herniation.
Are horses with wobblers in pain?
A normal horse will not react but a "Wobbler" will withdraw by depressing the spine in a squatting position. This is not a sign of pain but a sign of weakness as a result of nerve damage.
Are wobblers painful?
What is Wobbler Syndrome in Dogs? Wobblers Syndrome (or Wobblers, Wobblers disease) is a painful and debilitating neurologic disease in dogs that affects the spine in the neck or cervical region. This condition has about 14 different names in veterinary literature.
Is there a cure for wobblers disease?
Bone associated wobbler syndrome (BAWS) and disc associated wobbler syndrome (DAWS) in dogs can be treated either medically or surgically. However, both conditions are considered surgical diseases and medical conservative treatment is associated with a guarded prognosis.
Can older horses develop wobblers?
In addition to growth issues and injuries, another segment of the equine population may develop clinical signs of Wobblers syndrome at an older age as arthritic changes occur in the neck vertebrae, leading to impingement of the spinal cord at one or more levels.
What does wobblers syndrome look like?
What are the signs of Wobbler syndrome? Dogs with wobbler syndrome typically have a “wobbly” gait mostly in the back end (thus the name “wobblers”). This wobbly gait may only be visible in slippery floors and when the dog walks slowly. They may walk with their head down, which is usually a sign of pain.
Can a foal be a wobbler?
Particularly fragile, foals can suffer from several syndromes or diseases that prevent their growth from proceeding smoothly. Among others, ataxia, or Wobbler's syndrome, can appear in foals before they are 2 years old and be very disabling depending on the severity of the syndrome.
What causes kissing spine in horses?
Kissing spines are likely acquired. They can be the result of a variety of factors, including poor saddle fit and improper training that allows the horse to carry itself with its head up, back hollow, and not engaging the muscles in its core. Genetic factors are possible, but none have been identified to date.
Is there a cure for wobblers disease?
Bone associated wobbler syndrome (BAWS) and disc associated wobbler syndrome (DAWS) in dogs can be treated either medically or surgically. However, both conditions are considered surgical diseases and medical conservative treatment is associated with a guarded prognosis.
Can older horses develop wobblers?
In addition to growth issues and injuries, another segment of the equine population may develop clinical signs of Wobblers syndrome at an older age as arthritic changes occur in the neck vertebrae, leading to impingement of the spinal cord at one or more levels.
What can cause neurological problems in horses?
Many diseases can affect horses' central nervous systems, but four of the most common disorders are cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CSM), equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), and equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM).
What does wobblers syndrome look like?
What are the signs of Wobbler syndrome? Dogs with wobbler syndrome typically have a “wobbly” gait mostly in the back end (thus the name “wobblers”). This wobbly gait may only be visible in slippery floors and when the dog walks slowly. They may walk with their head down, which is usually a sign of pain.
How to treat wobbler syndrome in horses?
Treatments. Horses with this syndrome can be treated with drug therapy, surgery, or aggressive management. Certain drugs decrease the nerve tissue swelling and intracranial pressure.
What breed of horse has wobbler syndrome?
This disease has been reported in a number of breeds, with Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and Warmbloods being those most commonly affected. Th Miniature Horse is the only breed that has escaped diagnosis of wobbler syndrome. Typically, wobbler syndrome is thought of as a developmental disease of young horses and is even included in ...
Why is my horse's tail so weak?
The weakness in tail resistance may be due to the pressure on the spinal cord caused by the malformation of the cervical vertebrae. Contact your veterinarian if you suspect your horse has developed wobbler syndrome or any other neurological disease.
What is Wobbler syndrome?
Wobbler syndrome, or cervical vertebral malformation (CVM), is a devastating disease that can affect a horse’s neurologic and musculoskeletal systems. It is a structural narrowing of the spinal canal due to a variety of vertebral malformations and leads to spinal cord compression. As a result, horses exhibit clinical signs of spasticity, ataxia, ...
What causes ataxia in horses?
It is important to understand that multiple disease processes can lead to ataxia in a horse, including, in addition to wobbler syndrome, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), West Nile virus (WNV), eastern and western equine encephalitis, equine herpes virus (EHV), rabies, trauma, equine motor neuron disease, and equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM). A thorough neurologic examination and diagnostic evaluation by a veterinarian in conjunction with owner observation and knowledge of the horse’s vaccination status are therefore crucial for the appropriate diagnosis.
How old is a horse with static stenosis?
Cervical static stenosis typically affects horses between 1 and 4 years of age and is characterized by narrowing of the cervical canal C5-7 (between the cervical vertebrae 5 and 7).
How does surgery help horses?
Surgery involves placement of a titanium basket within the vertebral bodies at the compression site, which serves to promote fusion of the vertebrae to relieve the compression. Th fusion of the bones aids in removing the instability caused by the malformation or malrticulations of the adjacent vertebrae. Surgery is an option in appropriate cases; it’s important to consider the number and location of compressions, degree of ataxia, duration of clinical signs, and the horse’s intended use. Surgery also requires a significant post-operative recovery time to allow for adequate healing. In the long term, complete recovery and return to normal athletic pursuits have occurred in 50-55% of cases Involving surgical treatment. Because of the later age of onset (2 to 4 years) of this disease, some animals may not necessarily returntoracing but may be able tocompete adequately in other fi lds.
What is wobbler syndrome in horses?
Horses with wobbler syndrome usually start life with no obvious problems. As they grow, however, these horses gradually develop uncoordinated gaits, stumbling, dragging a limb, swaying as they walk, or other similar signs.
How old can a horse be to have spinal cord damage?
If the syndrome is diagnosed before a young horse is a year old, these measures, coupled with anti-inflammatory medications, can often limit damage to the spinal cord. Affected horses have a fair chance of going on to useful lives if they are diagnosed and treated from an early age.
What is the term for a condition in which the spinal cord becomes compressed because of a narrowing or instability?
Wobbler syndrome is the common term for cervical vertebral myelopathy, a condition in which the spinal cord becomes compressed because of a narrowing or instability affecting one or more vertebrae. Pressure on the spinal cord causes irritation and swelling of the spinal cord. The condition develops slowly, and early signs may be missed.
What happens when a horse's neck is injured?
An injury to the neck or spine can precipitate signs of wobbler syndrome in a horse of any age. Young horses wrestle, twist, and sometimes fall as they play with their herdmates, and spinal injuries can result.
Why do horses need a radiograph?
Radiographs are sometimes used to detect narrowed areas in the neck vertebrae. Use of dye in the spinal canal helps to increase contrast to show deformities more clearly in an x-ray (myelogram). Young horses diagnosed with wobbler syndrome are sometimes stalled to prevent further injury from roughhousing with their pals, ...
How to stabilize a horse's spine?
Surgery to stabilize the spine by fusing two or more vertebrae can improve the lives of some older horses with spinal cord compression. The surgery doesn’t help every horse, though some improvement can be expected in most animals selected for this treatment. There is some evidence of a genetic component in wobbler syndrome.
Do wobbler horses get sick?
A young wobbler could seem just a bit clumsy when he walks, and might avoid running and playing with his pasturemates. Typically these horses don’t seem to be sick.
Why do horses have wobblers?
Wobblers may be caused by compression or malformation of the spine in the neck that makes the animal stiff and uncoordinated. The horse may be born with a predisposition or there may be a nutritional connection or injury. This is why it is so important to patiently teach a youngster to stand quietly while tied and to tie adult horses safely. A fall in the pasture while playing, or while being ridden may damage the vertebrae in the neck. Whatever the reason, the deformed or compressed vertebrae press against the spinal column, mixing up the messages from the brain to the limbs. Some breeds such as Morgan Horse, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds seem to be most affected. Horses with long willowy necks are felt to be more prone to developing wobblers.
How to tell if a horse has wobblers syndrome?
They may appear to lurch as they canter, have difficulty halting smoothly and collide the hind with the front feet. Walking up and down hills may be difficult.
What to do if your horse is tripping?
Your vet will first take blood and spinal fluid tests to determine if another neurological disease like EPM or WNV is the problem. Physical tests include turning the horse in a tight circle and watching for hind-end coordination problems and backing the horse up, which will be difficult if the messages from the brain to the hind end are getting scrambled. If no other conditions exist, imaging will be done to look for tumors, vertebrae damage, or other injuries.
Why is it important to teach a horse to stand quietly?
The horse may be born with a predisposition or there may be a nutritional connection or injury. This is why it is so important to patiently teach a youngster to stand quietly while tied and to tie adult horses safely. A fall in the pasture while playing, or while being ridden may damage the vertebrae in the neck.
Can a horse die from wobblers?
The horse can lose condition and become progressively weaker. The horse may fall easily and have difficulty getting up. Although wobblers won't cause death if left untreated, it will make life a struggle for the animal and a hazard for the handler or rider.
Can a horse's hind end be infected?
As the condition advances, they may step on their own heels, causing lacerations, which in turn can cause lameness. If these cuts are left untreated, they can easily become infected. The horse can lose condition and become progressively weaker.
Can a horse be left untreated?
If left untreated, it can have serious consequences, but most owners will notice the condition before it progresses too far and with the help of a veterinarian, return their horse to good health.
Which breed of dog has wobbler syndrome?
Which kind of dog gets wobbler syndrome? Wobbler syndrome is primarily a disease of large and giant breed dogs. Small breed dogs occasionally get the disease but it is uncommon. In a study with 104 dogs with wobblers only 5 were small dogs.
How can I find out if my dog has wobblers?
Your dog has to be first examined by your Veterinarian. During the examination he/she will perform a physical and a neurological examination to find out if the reason for the difficulty in walking can really be attributed to a neck/neurologic problem.
What are the breeds most commonly affected?
Dobermans and Great Danes are the breeds most commonly affected. A recent survey of the Veterinary Medical Database showed that 4.2% of Great Danes have wobblers, whereas the disease is present in 5.5% of Dobermans. Dobermans usually have the classic form of the disease in large breed dogs whereas Great Danes have the typical form seen in Giant breeds. Other breeds are Rottweilers, Mastiffs, Weimaraners, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain dogs, Swiss Mountain dogs, but any large or giant breed dog can have the disease.
Would wobblers shorten the life expectancy of my dog?
Typically, based on our studies, the mean survival time of dogs with wobblers is approximately 4 years. This survival is the same whether the dogs is treated medically or surgically.
What is the treatment for wobbler syndrome?
Newer methods of treatment. We are starting to use artificial disc replacement to treat wobbler syndrome. This is a new surgical technique that is considered to be the gold standard treatment for humans with disease very similar to wobblers called cervical spondylotic myelopathy).
How old are Dobermans?
Generally speaking no, the disease tends to be different in these breeds. Dobermans usually have the disease when they are middle aged to older (mean age 6 years), whereas Great Danes are typically younger (mean age 3 years).
Are there other names for Wobbler syndrome?
The name most commonly used in veterinary articles is cervical spondylomyelopathy (which means a disease of the neck vertebrae affecting the spinal cord). Other common names are CVI – cervical vertebral instability, CVM – cervical vertebral malformation, CVMM – cervical vertebral malformation-malarticulation, and cervical spondylopathy.
