Compressive Cervical Myelopathy in Young Texel and Beltex Sheep

Abstract

Background: This investigation was prompted by the referral of increasing numbers of young Texel and Beltex rams with ataxia and weakness, or wobbler syndrome.Hypothesis: The study aims were to describe the clinical and pathologic findings in affected sheep. Animals: The animals evaluated in this study included 7 Texel sheep (6 male and 1 female) and 3 Beltex sheep (2 male and 1 female) referred from pedigree flocks. Typically, the sheep were 15-18 months of age at referral.Methods: Diagnostic investigations included radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) myelography followed by gross postmortem and histopathologic examinations.Results: Clinical findings typical of cervical spinal cord compression were present in all sheep but varied in severity. Myelography confirmed dorsal spinal cord compression in the region of C6-C7. No bony abnormalities were identified as described in cases of canine and equine wobbler syndrome. Postmortem examinations revealed discrete, smooth, nodular to polypoid projections of adipose tissue apparently prolapsing through the dorsolateral intervertebral space at C6-C7 and causing localized spinal cord compression. Histopathology of the nodules confirmed that they were composed of welldifferentiated adipocytes typical of fatty tissue. Spinal cord lesions were similar in all sheep with marked Wallerian degeneration at the site of compression and mild Wallerian degeneration present cranial and caudal to the lesion.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The findings of this study suggest a novel cervical myelopathy in these sheep breeds caused by the presence of fatty nodules encroaching into the dorsal vertebral canal at C6-C7. Additional investigations are required to establish the etiology and possible hereditary risk factors for this unique clinicopathologic syndrome.

Inadvertent intrathecal injection of Gudair vaccine leading to recumbency and ataxia in replacement gimmers: a case of ‘OJD staggers’ in North East England

“…Botulism, sarcosporidiosis and visna should also be considered; however, only the latter would have a prolonged clinical course and is rarely seen in this age of sheep. Texel wobbler syndrome1 presents with similar clinical signs and features a space‐occupying fatty mass in the cervical spinal canal (C6–C7), but these were not Texel lambs and the space‐occupying lesion was histologically different and in a different anatomical position.…”

Extent of cord pathology in the lumbosacral enlargement in non-traumatic versus traumatic spinal cord injury

“…In contrast, and confirming previous findings 27,48,59 , incomplete tSCI resulted in severe and widespread WM damage across all WM columns at C2/C3. Previous histopathological analyses of DCM showed evidence of both anterograde and retrograde degeneration of sensory tracts in the dorsal column 60,61 and motor tracts in the lateral column [61][62][63] , with the former being linked to poor or disturbed sensation and the latter to spastic gait, but less axonal damage in the ventral column 64 .…”

Severe ostertagiosis in a group of Scottish dairy heifers

“…A fatty nodule was identified at C6/7 protruding into the spinal canal, causing compression of the adjacent spinal cord with associated haemorrhage and reaction (Fig 4). Compressive cervical myelopathy is seen most commonly in sheep of 15 to 18 months of age (Penny and others 2007).…”