Equine Neurological

Question 1

What is wobblers syndrome

Answer 1

Genetic malformation of spinal cord

Question 2

West Nile Virus causes

Answer 2

Encephalitis (inflammation of brain)

Question 3

How WNV is transmitted

Answer 3

Mosquitos; usu aquire from biting birds then go and bite horses or people

Question 4

Signs of WNV

Answer 4

Listless / depressed, weak limbs, ataxia, stumbling gait, partial paralysis

Question 5

How to treat WNV

Answer 5

No cure, supportive care

Question 6

How to prevent WNV

Answer 6

Vaccine, mosquito control

Question 7

Why horses and humans are considered “dead end hosts” for WNV

Answer 7

Can not transmit to anyone else, even via mosquito vectors

Question 8

Equine encephalomyletis is a vita disease that affects the

Answer 8

Brain (cephalo) and spinal cord (myelo)

Question 9

3 different Equine Encephalomyelitis strains

Answer 9

EEE- east
WEE- west
VEE- Venezuelan

Question 10

How strains of equine encephalomyelitis differ in epidemiology

Answer 10

EEE and WEE= host is bird, horse is dead end host

VEE= host is horse, can spread via mosquitos to others

Question 11

Which equine neurological disease is zoonotic

Answer 11

Equine encephalomyelitis
EEE and WEE= via mosquitos from birds
VEE= via mosquitos from horses

Question 12

Who are reservoir hosts of VEE, what does that mean?

Answer 12

Mice or birds, always have in population (enzootic), gets picked up from mosquitos (enzootic vector)

Question 13

Horses act as an amplification host for VEE, meaning

Answer 13

Gains high virus load, spreads to others via epizootic vector (like mosquitos)

Question 14

Early signs of equine encephalomyelitis

Progresses to

Answer 14

Fever, hypersensitivity (overreacts to stimulus)

Progresses= anorexia and depression, posterior weakness and ataxia, unable to rise

Question 15

Equine encephalomyelitis has a high mortality rate of about _%

Answer 15

50-90% (EEE/ VEE on higher side)

Question 16

Difference between EEE/ WEE vaccine and VEE vaccine

Answer 16

EEE and WEE =core vaccinations, v effective, annual

VEE= only administered in areas of high incidence

Question 17

What causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)

Answer 17

Migration of protozoa in the spinal cord (protozoa ingested )

Question 18

Protozoa that causes EPM

Answer 18

Sarcocystis neurona

Question 19

Will EPM spread to other horses via host horse

Answer 19

No; horse is dead end host and does not shed the protozoa

Question 20

How EPM can be diagnosed

Answer 20

neurological exam, blood Ab titer, spinal fluid analysis

Question 21

How to treat EPM

Answer 21

Anti protozoal drugs for long term treatment

Question 22

Common reservoir for EPM protozoa

Answer 22

Opossum and other wildlife, feces contaminant environment

Question 23

How to prevent EPM

Answer 23

Rodent control, cover food so rodents don’t contaminate

Question 24

Signs of EPM

early and progressive

Answer 24

Early= ataxia, pelvic limbs usually affected first 
Later= muscle atrophy, possible paralyzation

Question 25

Tetanus is also referred to as

Answer 25

Lockjaw

Question 26

Tetanus is a severe neurological disease cause by

Answer 26

Bacteria Clostridium tetani

Question 27

What kind of disease is tetanus

Answer 27

Infectious, non-contagious, highly fatal neurological disease

Question 28

How Clostridium tetani enters host

Answer 28

Thro break in skin, stays in environment for long periods via spores

Question 29

What kind of wound is ideal for Clostridium tetani invasion and why

Answer 29

Deep puncture wound; reproduces ideally in anaerobic environment

Question 30

Route of Clostridium tetani infection

Answer 30

Nerves in wound-> spinal cord-> brain

Question 31

What causes the clinical signs of tetanus A) bacteria B) toxins produced via bacteria C) spores

Answer 31

B

Question 32

Signs of tetanus

Answer 32

Muscle stiffness (paralyzed in contraction =tetany) stiff leg gait (saw horse stance), hypersensitivity to stimuli, paralysis, convulsions, lack swallowing ability ( lock jaw)

Question 33

Why we would clap our hands as an indicator of tetanus

Answer 33

Hypersensitivity to stimuli, causes 3rd eyelid to flash Bc muscle of eyeball pulls it into skull

Question 34

Why tetanus is also called lock jaw

Answer 34

Those affected lack swallowing ability

Question 35

Tetanus treatment

Answer 35

High mortality and poor response to any treatment (none)

Question 36

How to prevent tetanus

Answer 36

Tetanus toxoid (active) or a tetanus antitoxin (passive) given at time of wound

Question 37

Animals most commonly affected by tetanus

Answer 37

Horses, sheep, goats, humans

Question 38

What kind of disease is Equine Rhabdomyelosis

Answer 38

Metabolic disease

Question 39

Equine Rhabdomyelosis is also called

Answer 39

Azoturia, or tying up, or Monday morning sickness

Question 40

What causes equine Rhabdomyelosis

Answer 40

Forced exercise after period of rest (during which feed has not been restricted)

Question 41

Equine Rhabdomyelosis is common in

Answer 41

Horses regularly worked/ in training

Question 42

Signs of equine Rhabdomyelosis

Answer 42

Acute onset, profuse sweating, tremors, reluctant to walk, stiff gait, weakness in hind limbs, hard muscles painful upon palpitation

Question 43

Signs of extreme equine Rhabdomyelosis

Answer 43

Red urine due to muscle breakdown, myoglobin in Urine (released from muscle cells) myoglobinuria

Question 44

Why equine Rhabdomyelosis is also called red water disease

Answer 44

Extreme cases cause red urine

Question 45

How to treat equine Rhabdomyelosis

Answer 45

Rest, painkillers, maintain fluids to prevent kidney disease, gradually return to exercise, modify management

Question 46

Why we don’t give horses fluids SQ

Answer 46

Can cause abscesses