A Closed Reduction of Cervical Spine Subluxation in an Arabian Foal with an External Neck Stabilizer

Cervical spine injuries that impact young horses and foals can result in mild to severe neurological signs or even result in sudden death. There are only a few reports on conservative treatment options for this condition in the scientific literature. If the condition is left untreated, it can lead to the development of degenerative joint disease, resulting in chronic neurological symptoms and discomfort. We present the case of a two-day-old Arabian foal that showed signs of ataxia following a neck injury, being the result of cervical spine subluxation. Radiological examination revealed a dislocation between the second and third cervical vertebrae. At admission to the clinic on the seventh day of life, the foal's clinical examination parameters were within physiological ranges. The head posture at the presentation was consistently low, the foal could not lift its head above the shoulder joint throughout the whole examination, the neck muscles were spastically tensed and clinical signs of ataxia were present. The foal underwent a closed reduction in the subluxation under general anesthesia and a fiberglass semicircular gutter was created to stabilize the neck in the desired position. The ataxia symptoms began to improve around day 12 post manipulation, and the fiberglass stabilizer was removed after 16 days post manipulation, followed by radiographs. The dislocation of C2/C3 was no longer visible on the radiographs, and the foal was able to assume a normal neck posture after the removal of the fixator.