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Radiographic retrospective study of the caudal cervical articular process joints in the horse

S S Down1, F M D Henson

  • 1The Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, The University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.

Equine Veterinary Journal
|October 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Caudal cervical articular process joint (APJ) enlargement in horses increases with age at C5-C6, but this may not be significant. APJ enlargement is not currently associated with breed, sex, usage, or clinical signs in horses.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Radiology
  • Equine Orthopedics
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Caudal cervical articular process joint (APJ) arthropathy in horses can cause spinal cord compression, leading to ataxia and paresis.
  • APJ enlargement is known to increase with age, but associations with other factors and clinical signs are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate associations between subject details (breed, age, sex, usage) and caudal cervical APJ enlargement at C5-C6 and C6-C7.
  • To determine the relationship between the degree of APJ enlargement and the presence and type of clinical signs.

Main Methods:

  • Radiographs of 122 horses were analyzed using a novel grading system for APJ enlargement.
  • Horses with cranial neck lesions or poor-quality radiographs were excluded.

Main Results:

  • A significant association was found between age and APJ grade at C5-C6, but not at C6-C7.
  • No associations were identified between APJ grade and breed, sex, usage, or observed clinical signs.
  • A trend indicated increasing APJ enlargement in more caudal joints.

Conclusions:

  • Caudal cervical APJ size at C5-C6 may increase with age, though the clinical significance is uncertain.
  • Current data do not support associations between APJ enlargement and horse breed, sex, or discipline.
  • The degree of APJ enlargement cannot be definitively linked to neurological deficits based on this study.
Abstract

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