Cervical Vertebral Osteomyelitis With Secondary Septic Arthritis of the Atlantoaxial Joint in a Foal: A Case Report

Cervical vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to Streptococcus equi infection in an adult horse - case report

“…The presence of leukocytosis with neutrophilia and hyperfibrinogenemia is consistent with aggressiveness of the lesion and is in agreement with previous reports of the disease (Dyson, 2011), although it is suggested that approximately 80% of the adult animals affected by vertebral osteomyelitis do not present changes in leukocyte counts (Coleman et al, 2012). The chronicity of the disease results in hypoalbuminemia and the presence of infectious agents promotes intense hyperglobulinemia (Crisman et al, 2008).…”

“…The treatment of bone infections requires surgical curettage along with prolonged antibiotic therapy (Roblot et al, 2007;Hu et al, 2009;Crabtree and Jorgensen, 2012). Thus, the administration of doxycycline therapy, an antibiotic with an affinity for bone tissue (Schnabel et al, 2010) was performed to increase the drug concentration in the bone tissue over a long period of time.…”

“…osteomyelitis is often associated with septic arthritis. It occurs in most of the tissues in the body of a foal due to hematogenous dissemination of bacteria with its localization near the physeal growth plate in the metaphyseal or epiphyseal regions of the bone (Crabtree and Jorgensen, 2012). Multiple cases of vertebral osteomyelitis in foals have been reported; however, few reports are described in adult horses.…”

Arthroscopic approach and intra‐articular anatomy of the equine atlanto‐occipital joint

“…Access to advanced cross‐sectional imaging techniques, such as MRI and computed tomography (CT), improves antemortem diagnosis of A‐O joint pathology and justifies investigation of treatment options. Previous case reports of A‐O joint sepsis indicate that surgical treatment, including debridement and joint lavage, is more likely to be successful than medical therapy . Dorsal and lateral A‐O joint puncture sites have been identified, but surgical access via an arthroscopic approach has not been reported previously.…”

“…Previous case reports of A-O joint sepsis indicate that surgical treatment, including debridement and joint lavage, is more likely to be successful than medical therapy. 8,9,20,21 Dorsal and lateral A-O joint puncture sites have been identified, 3,22 but surgical access via an arthroscopic approach has not been reported previously.…”