Page 492 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

The surgery is most successful in young horses with mild to moderate clinical signs;

recovery and rehabilitation can take up to a year. There is unlikely to be further improvement
VetBooks.ir after this time.

Prognosis

The prognosis is guarded, particularly for horses with static stenosis of the vertebral canal.
With surgical cases it depends on the severity of the spinal cord damage and the duration

of clinical signs before surgery is performed.

Reported success rates vary, but 44–90% of patients improve at least one grade after
surgery and up to 54% improve two or more grades. 33–60% are able to perform athletically

after successful surgery. There is no guarantee of success and fatal postoperative
complications can occur.

Euthanasia is often necessary for severe cases of wobbler syndrome.

Insurance

Insurance for these cases can be complicated since the affected horse is unlikely to die from
this disability. A policy that covers death only will not pay out for a horse affected by
wobbler syndrome unless the condition is severe enough to warrant humane destruction. If

you have taken out more extensive insurance cover for loss of use, it is likely that a proven
wobbler would be a justifiable claim. Each case needs to be individually assessed. The most

important consideration is whether the horse can cope safely for all concerned. If it cannot do
so, then euthanasia may have to be considered.

Prevention

Dietary management to reduce the growth rate of susceptible, fast-growing foals may help to
prevent the condition. Dietary and exercise restriction may prevent neurological signs

developing in foals when neck radiographs suggest that spinal cord compression may occur.

EQUINE MOTOR NEURON DISEASE (EMND)

Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) is a debilitating condition that affects adult horses. It

causes a generalized muscle wasting and weakness due to degeneration of the lower motor
neurons that carry nerve impulses from the brainstem or spinal cord to the skeletal muscles.