Stringhalt in Horses: A Distal Axonopathy

Cahill, Jennifer I.; Goulden, B.E.; Jolly, RD

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2990.1986.tb00054.x

Cited by 42 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(10 reference statements)

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“…The 2nd form, Australian or acquired bilateral stringhalt, is a manifestation of distal axonopathy. 7,8 Large myelinated fibers are selectively affected with a decrease in severity distal to proximal.…”

Section: Treatment and Outcomementioning

confidence: 99%

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Antemortem Diagnosis of a Distal Axonopathy Causing Severe Stringhalt in a Horse

Armengou

Añor

Climent

et al. 2010

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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A 16-year-old Westfalian gelding was presented to the Equine Teaching Hospital of Barcelona for a 6-week history of a sudden, progressive bilateral abnormal gait in the pelvic limbs. Previous treatment with phenylbutazone and paralumbar corticosteroid (triamcinolone) infiltration had not resulted in improvement. The horse had lived for 2 years in the same pasture with other unaffected horses. None of the other horses developed clinical signs consistent with stringhalt. No history of recent trauma was reported. The horse did not have any previous medical problems, apart from degenerative joint disease of the left radiocarpal and carpometacarpal joints, both metacarpophalangeal joints and both metatarsophalangeal joints that was diagnosed and treated 1 year before presentation.On admission, the horse was excited and reluctant to move, and sedation with xylazine (0.4 mg/kg IV) was needed to move the horse out of the van. When eventually moved, the animal showed a bunny-hopping gait with severe and exaggerated flexion movements, and knuckled on both pelvic limbs (supporting information Video S1). Clinical signs were bilateral, but the right pelvic limb seemed more severely affected than the left. The horse kept the right pelvic limb hyperflexed while standing for several minutes until it relaxed. In addition, severe skin abrasions were found on the dorsal aspect of both carpal areas, and on the cannon bone and fetlock areas of both pelvic limbs caused by the abnormal gait. Complete physical and neurological examinations did not identify any other clinically relevant findings. The clinical diagnosis was bilateral stringhalt grade V/V, according to the gradation scale of Huntington et al. 1Examination of the horse's pasture revealed very few dry plants, and no evidence of any toxic plant. The horse was fed festuca grass hay similar to other horses in the stable, and the food was in good condition. Results of CBC and serum biochemistry did not disclose any abnormalities. Lumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid collection was attempted, but a sample could not be obtained. Electromyographic (EMG) examination of the pelvic limb muscles including the long digital extensor was attempted with the horse awake to eliminate a peripheral neuropathy or primary myopathy. Unfortunately, the horse was extremely sensitive to any manipulation of the pelvic limbs and conclusive results could not be obtained.To reach a definitive diagnosis, biopsies from the long digital extensor muscle and the superficial peroneal nerve were obtained 4 days after admission. The horse was premedicated with romifidine (0.03 mg/kg IV) and butorphanol (0.03 mg/kg IV). General anesthesia was induced with diazepam (0.05 mg/kg IV) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg IV) and maintained with isofluorane in 100% oxygen with intermittent positive pressure ventilation. The horse was positioned in left lateral recumbency to obtain biopsies from the right pelvic limb. The lateral surface proximal to the tarsus was clipped and surgically prepared. An 8-cm longitudinal incision was made ...

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Section: Treatment and Outcomementioning

confidence: 99%

“…8,15 The most severely affected nerves included the recurrent laryngeal and superficial and deep peroneal nerves, which showed mixed axonal degeneration and demyelination with concurrent atrophy of the innervated muscles. No alterations in the central nervous system have been found.…”

Section: Treatment and Outcomementioning

confidence: 99%

Antemortem Diagnosis of a Distal Axonopathy Causing Severe Stringhalt in a Horse

Armengou

Añor

Climent

et al. 2010

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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“…4,6,23,39 Disorders affecting the peripheral nerves resulting in denervation atrophy of muscle also occur. 8,13,14,34,41 Most survey studies of equine neuromuscular disease are of clinical cases. 9,17 A slaughterhouse study of equine muscle reported only on the incidence of intramuscular protozoa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathologic Findings in Equine Muscle (Excluding Polysaccharide Storage): A Necropsy Study

Valentine

2008

J VET Diagn Invest

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Abstract. Gross and histopathologic evaluation of skeletal muscle was performed in 229 equids (217 horses, 8 ponies, 3 donkeys, and 1 mule) 1 year of age or older undergoing postmortem examination at Oregon State University in a 2.5-year period. Animals were evaluated for grossly evident muscle lesions, and muscle samples were fixed in formalin, processed routinely, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) for glycogen. Muscle lesions were detected in 149 animals (65%). Chronic myopathic change (excessive fiber size variation and internal nuclei) was evaluated in horses without polysaccharide storage myopathy and was the most common finding (36 animals; 15.7%). Chronic myopathic change was more common in older animals. Generalized muscle atrophy was present in 30 animals (13.1%). Myonecrosis was attributed to endotoxic injury (11 animals; 4.8%), bone fracture (8 animals; 3.5%), bacterial infection (5 animals; 2.2%), muscle rupture (3 animals; 1.3%), selenium deficiency (2 animals; 0.9%), and exertional rhabdomyolysis (1 horse; 0.4%); cause was not determined in 9 animals (3.9%). Intramyofiber protozoa were detected in 19 horses and ponies (8.3%). Denervation atrophy was detected in 14 animals (6.1%). Neoplasia involving muscle occurred in 3 animals (1.3%), injection site reactions were detected in 4 animals (1.7%), and focal lymphocytic infiltrates were found in 6 animals (2.6%). Other findings were ring fibers (2 horses; 0.9%), fiber splitting (2 horses; 0.9%), and fat infiltration (1 horse; 0.4%). Skeletal muscle lesions are common in equids examined at postmortem. Transverse sections stained with HE and PAS are invaluable when evaluating equine muscle.

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“…Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the hyperflexion observed in AS (Cahill et al, 1986;Cahill and Goulden, 1992;Slocombe et al, 1992). Stringhalt is currently thought to be associated with damage to the axons (axonopathy) in the peripheral long nerves (Cahill and Goulden, 1992;Armengou et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The etiology of AS is still unknown, outbreaks of this disease have been associated to grazing pastures where Hypochaeris radicata predominates and other plants such as Taraxacum officinale and Malva parviflora may be present (Huntington et al, 1989;Cahill and Goulden, 1992). There have been reports of outbreaks of AS in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Chile, Brazil, France, and probably Japan (Cahill et al, 1986;Huntington et al, 1989;Cahill and Goulden, 1992;Slocombe et al, 1992;Gay et al, 1993;Dixon et al, 2001;Takahashi et al, 2002;Domange et al, 2010). The AS has not been reported in Colombia before.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

An outbreak of Australian Stringhalt associated with skin lesions in Colombia

Oliver

Suárez

2016

Rev Colomb Cienc Pecu

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SummaryAnamnesis: eight Silla Argentina breed horses imported from Argentina presented with an abnormal gait and skin lesions. Clinical and laboratory findings: all cases showed different degrees of hind limb hyperflexion, atrophy of the lateral digital muscles, skin lesions, and poor body condition. They underwent several clinical and laboratory examinations, including endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract, skin and liver biopsy, blood count, biochemical profile, and electromyography that showed evidence of a neuropathy and dermatitis. Treatment approach: the horses were treated with phenylbutazone and thiamine. The response was patient dependent with different degrees of recovery resulting. Conclusion: this is the first report of an outbreak of bilateral Australian Stringhalt in Colombia and the first associated to skin lesions according to the veterinary medicine scientific literature. Keywords: equine, hind limb hyperflexion, Hypochaeris radicata, neuropathy.Resumen Anamnesis: ocho caballos de raza silla Argentina importados de Argentina presentaron un andar anormal y lesiones de piel. Hallazgos clínicos y de laboratorio: todos los animales presentaron hiperflexión de los miembros anteriores de forma bilateral, en diferentes grados de severidad; atrofia del músculo digital lateral, lesiones de piel y condición corporal deficiente. Se realizaron endoscopias, biopsias de piel, hematología, química sanguínea, electromiografías que indicaron una neuropatía y dermatitis. ResumoAnamnese: oito cavalos de raça Silla Argentina foram importados a partir da Argentina por una marcha anormal e lesões cutâneas. Achados clínicos e de laboratório: todos os animais apresentaram hiperflexão bilateral dos membros anteriores com diferentes graus de gravidade; atrofia do músculo digital lateral, lesões de pele e condição corporal baixa. Foram efectuadas endoscopias, biópsias de pele, hematologia química sanguínea e electromiografias que indicaram uma neuropatia e uma dermatitis. Abordagem terapêutica: os cavalos foram tratados com fenilbutazona e tiamina obtendo uma resposta variável entre os animais. Conclusão: este é o primeiro relatório de arpejo Australiano reportado na Colômbia e o primeiro associado com lesões de pele de acordo com a literatura científica médico-veterinária.

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Stringhalt in Horses: A Distal Axonopathy

Cited by 42 publications

References 16 publications

Antemortem Diagnosis of a Distal Axonopathy Causing Severe Stringhalt in a Horse

Antemortem Diagnosis of a Distal Axonopathy Causing Severe Stringhalt in a Horse

Pathologic Findings in Equine Muscle (Excluding Polysaccharide Storage): A Necropsy Study

An outbreak of Australian Stringhalt associated with skin lesions in Colombia

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