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Veterinarians at the Estonian University of Life Sciences performed a successful surgical operation to treat wobbler syndrome in a horse
In February, veterinarians of the Estonian University of Life Sciences performed the first surgical operation to treat a horse with wobbler syndrome at the animal clinic of the University. The operation will improve the quality of life of an eight-month-old Estonian warmblood sports horse stallion.
Wobbler syndrome is the common term for cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), a neurological disease. Reet Herm, senior veterinarian at the veterinary clinic of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, explained that wobbler syndrome causes the neck vertebrae in horses to narrow the spinal canal. “This pressure compresses the spinal cord. This results in symptoms like loss of balance, weakness and coordination disorders in horse. A horse suffering from this disease can be dangerous to itself, because it can injure itself, and its quality of life is undoubtedly impaired," describes Reet Herm.
To treat wobbler syndrome, veterinary surgeons fixed two cervical vertebrae (C3 and C4) with a metal plate and screws during surgery to reduce pressure on the spinal cord. The complex surgical procedure was led by Felipe Corrêa, head veterinarian of the horse clinic of the University , and assisted by other vets of the clinic, as well as a colleagues from Finland: Triin Rilanto, Laura Laakso, Reet Herm, Katarzyna Kuc, Kati Kiipsaar, and Jane Adov.
According to Corrêa, this successful surgery proved once again that Estonian veterinary medicine is on par of the highest standards. "This opens up new opportunities for us to provide veterinary care for horses, and offers hope to hundreds of horse owners in the Baltics and beyond, whose animals suffer from a similar neurological condition," said Felipe Corrêa. The surgery was an important step in the understanding and treatment of neurological diseases in horses in the future.
However, the prognosis of recovery from such a difficult surgery is always cautious, and the final effects may appear six months after the procedure. "The surgery does not completely eliminate the balance disorder, but at best it alleviates the symptoms to the point where a patient can live a normal life in the pasture," said Felipe Corrêa. Today, the stallion is referred to home treatment.
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Felipe Correa
Head veterinarian of the veterinary clinic of the Estonian University of Life Sciences