What is wobbler syndrome in horses?

A "Wobbler" is a horse with a damaged spinal cord. The most obvious clinical sign is an abnormal gait characterized by wobbling, or a horse that looks like he has had a fair amount of tranquilizers. Severe damage can actually result in a horse that may fall and have difficulty getting up.

What are signs of wobblers in horses?

A horse with wobblers may stumble, wear his toes abnormally, over-reach and clip the heels of the forelimbs, 'bunny hop' when cantering, or show excessive knuckling of hind legs. Most horses with this condition show more pronounced signs in the hindlimbs.

What causes wobblers in a horse?

The exact cause of wobbler syndrome in horses is unknown. It is believed that the syndrome is caused by genetic predisposition, feeding excessive amounts of energy and other nutrients, rapid growth, physical trauma, decreased copper/ increased zinc levels, or a combination of these factors.

What are the first signs of wobblers syndrome in horses?

Your horse may be a wobbler if you are seeing one or more of the following signs: Has your horse been stumbling or stumbles more often under saddle? Have you seen any abnormal wear of front toes? Are there any unusual sores on front heels from over-reaching? Do you notice any excessive movement of tail when trotting?

Can you cure wobblers syndrome?

It's most common in Great Danes and Dobermans, with 4-5% of those breeds being affected. There is no cure for Wobblers, and depending on how advanced the symptoms become, sometimes treatment isn't effective.

Neuroaxonal Dystrophy in Quarter Horses

Can you ride a horse with wobbler syndrome?

Horses with wobblers can become dangerous to handle and ride. A horse with neurological problems cannot properly determine where their body is in space and could bump into you or even fall on top of you.

How quickly does wobblers progress in horses?

The onset of clinical signs is typically between six months to three years, although mature horses may also become affected.

What age of horse typically gets wobbler syndrome?

The first typically affects horses from 4 to 12 months of age and occurs most frequently between vertebrae C3 and C4, and C4 and C5. It causes pinching of the cord only when the neck is flexed.

What breeds get wobblers?

Dobermans usually have the classic form of the disease in large breed dogs whereas Great Danes have the typical form seen in Giant breeds. Other breeds are Rottweilers, Mastiffs, Weimaraners, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain dogs, Swiss Mountain dogs, but any large or giant breed dog can have the disease.

How do you prevent wobblers syndrome?

For the most part, Wobbler Syndrome can't be prevented because it is genetic in nature. However, sometimes the condition arises when puppies grow too fast, so monitoring your dog's diet to prevent rapid growth can help you avoid, or reduce the severity of, Wobbler Syndrome.

Are horses with wobblers in pain?

A normal horse will not react but a "Wobbler" will withdraw by depressing the spine in a squatting position. This is not a sign of pain but a sign of weakness as a result of nerve damage.

Does wobblers suddenly start?

What are the symptoms of wobbler syndrome? Clinical signs are usually slow and gradual in onset. Some dogs will appear to suddenly get worse if they have trauma to the spinal cord during exercise or have a second spinal cord problem, such as a sudden disc herniation.

How long is the life expectancy of wobblers syndrome?

The prognosis of wobbler's syndrome in dogs is fairly dependent on the severity of the condition and spinal cord compression. The average survival time, according to studies done by Ohio State University, is approximately 4 years.

Does wobblers cause pain?

Wobbler syndrome is a disease of the neck (the cervical spine) that is seen in large and giant breeds of dog. These dogs experience compression of the spinal cord and the spinal nerve roots, resulting in nervous system deficits and/or neck pain.

Does wobblers syndrome get worse?

If untreated, dogs with wobblers will often get worse. Surgery may be required to improve the dog's quality of life and to try and prevent further deterioration.

Can older horses get wobblers?

An injury to the neck or spine can precipitate signs of wobbler syndrome in a horse of any age. Young horses wrestle, twist, and sometimes fall as they play with their herdmates, and spinal injuries can result.

Which two species of animal are most commonly affected with wobbler syndrome?

Wobbler disease is a catchall term referring to several possible malformations of the cervical vertebrae that cause an unsteady (wobbly) gait and weakness in dogs and horses. A number of different conditions of the cervical (neck) spinal column cause similar clinical signs.

What does a wobbler look like?

Dogs with Wobblers typically have a “wobbly” gait mostly in the back legs. This wobbly gait may only be visible on slippery floors and when the dog walks slowly. They may walk with their head down, which is usually a sign of neck pain.

Can wobblers in dogs be cured?

How is wobbler syndrome treated? If a dog with wobbler syndrome can be treated medically, rather than surgically, their treatment is generally conducted on an outpatient basis. Conservative, non-surgical treatment consists of managing pain and restricting activity for several months.

How long can a dog live with wobblers?

Typically, based on our studies, the mean survival time of dogs with wobblers is approximately 4 years. This survival is the same whether the dogs is treated medically or surgically.

Can dogs make a full recovery from wobblers?

Your dog's recovery from wobbler syndrome depends on the severity of its symptoms upon treatment. Dogs with mild symptoms will usually make a full recovery, while dogs with advanced wobbler syndrome may never be able to walk normally again.

What is the success rate of wobblers surgery?

Affected dogs show variable progress depending on the neurological signs present, progression of disease and specific spinal cord defects present. Dogs that are still able to walk and with a short history and only one spinal cord lesion may have 80% success rate after surgery.

Are horses wobblers painful?

A normal horse will not react but a "Wobbler" will withdraw by depressing the spine in a squatting position. This is not a sign of pain but a sign of weakness as a result of nerve damage.

Are wobblers in horses progressive?

As a consequence, lesions of osteochondrosis may develop, causing CVM. The prognosis for a wobbler has always been poor because of the progressive nature of the condition. However, an increasing number of wobblers are being treated surgically, with reports that clinical improvement does occur in some cases.

How do you prevent wobblers syndrome?

For the most part, Wobbler Syndrome can't be prevented because it is genetic in nature. However, sometimes the condition arises when puppies grow too fast, so monitoring your dog's diet to prevent rapid growth can help you avoid, or reduce the severity of, Wobbler Syndrome.