EQUINE VETERINARY EDUCATION / AE / AUGUST 2020


439


a)


TABLE 2: Summary of radiological features of eight Equidae with intervertebral disc disease in the cervical (C1–7) and cranial thoracic (T1–2) vertebrae


Equidae number


D1 Radiological features


Reduced and uneven intervertebral disc space C6–C7. Large semi-circular (about 3 cm 9 1 cm) area of radiolucency with ill-defined, slightly irregular margins in the cranial end plate of C7 (osteolysis). Irregular and ill-defined caudal end plate of C6. Major surrounding increased opacity (in C6 and C7). Mild subluxation, with ventral displacement of C7. Enlarged APJs C5–6 and C6–7.


H2


Obliteration of the intervertebral disc space C6– C7. Large semi-circular (about 3 cm 9 1.5 cm) areas of radiolucency with ill-defined, irregular margins in the caudal end plate of C6 and the cranial end plate of C7 with surrounding increased opacity. Subluxation, with marked ventral displacement of C7.


H3 b)


Severe reduction of the intervertebral disc space at C7-T1. Ill-defined areas of radiolucency in the cranial end plate of T1. Minor surrounding increased opacity. Subluxation of C7-T1, with mild ventral displacement of T1. Enlarged APJs C6–7 and C7-T1 with narrowing of IVF. Transposition of ventral laminae from C6 to C7.


H4


Obliteration of the intervertebral disc space at C7- T1. Ill-defined focal areas of radiolucency in the cranial end plate of T1 and the caudal end plate of C7 (about 1 cm 9 0.5 cm) facing each other. Extensive generalised increased opacity of caudal aspect of Ce7 and cranial aspect of T1. Irregular dorsal margin of the vertebral body of T1.


H5


Complete loss of intervertebral disc space C7-T1 and T1-2. Increased opacity of caudal end plate of C7 and the cranial end plate of T1. New bone formation on the dorsal and ventral caudal aspects of C7. Ill-defined mineralised opacity dorsal to intervertebral symphysis between C7 and T1. Asymmetrical enlargement of the APJs of T1–2, with marked decreased size of IVF.


H6


Fig 1: a) Horse 5 (see Table 1 and Fig 5) grazing with the neck in a ‘locked’, low position. The horse tended to knuckle forwards on the left metacarpophalangeal joint. The neck is turned to the right. The head is slightly tilted with the nose to the left. The right eye is partially closed. b) Lateral–lateral image of the seventh cervical (C7) and cranial thoracic vertebrae (T1–3). Cranial is to the left. There is complete loss of intervertebral disc space between C7-T1 and T1–2 (black arrows), with increased opacity of the caudal end plate of C7 and the cranial end plate of T1. There is new bone formation on the dorsal (white arrow) and ventral caudal aspects of C7. There is an ill-defined mineralised opacity dorsal to the intervertebral symphysis between C7 and T1 (white arrow head). There is asymmetrical enlargement of the articular process joints of T1–2, with marked decreased size of the intervertebral foramen.


Treatment and outcome Donkey 1 was treated with doxycycline 10 mg/kg bwt per os b.i.d. for 5 months and showed progressive improvement,


Complete obliteration of intervertebral disc space. Subluxation of C6–7 with dorsal displacement of C7, flattening of the cranial end plate of C7 and partial disruption of the dorsocranial aspect of the cranial end plate of C7 and the dorsal aspect of the caudal end plate of C6.


H7


Marked narrowing of intervertebral disc space C7- T1 with increased opacity of caudal end plate of C7 and cranial end plate of T1; concave depression in most cranial part of the cranial end plate of T1 and smoothly irregular contour of caudal end plate of C7. Dorsal and ventral modelling of the caudal end plate of C7. Ill- defined mineralised opacity traversing the dorsal aspect of intervertebral symphysis. Enlarged APJs C7-T1 with narrowing of IVF. Transposition of ventral laminae from C6 to C7.


H8


Marked narrowing of intervertebral disc space C2 –3. Enlarged APJs C2–3.


APJs, articular process joints; D, donkey; H, horse; IVF, intervertebral foramen.


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