The Nervous System

Question 1

How can a neurological problem start?

Answer 1

Trauma = sudden
Slow and progressive

Question 2

How does the neurological exam work

Answer 2

Start at head and work back

Question 3

What might you see when examining the head in a neurological exam

Answer 3

Behaviour (aggression, depression, head pressing, circling)
Blindness
Abnormal eye movement (nystagmus)
Drooping muzzle, ears, eyes
Difficulty eating/swallowing
Noisy breathing
Protruding tongue

Question 4

How do we test for blindness

Answer 4

No menace reflex
Pupillary light reflex

Question 5

What is abnormal eye movement called

Answer 5

Nystagmus

Question 6

What might you see caudal to the head during a neurological exam

Answer 6

Loss of coordination
General weakness
Loss of proprioception (placing limbs)
No cutaneous trunci reflex (drag pen down side = twitching)
Single limb abnormalities

Question 7

Loss of coordination is also known as…

Answer 7

Ataxia

Question 8

Proprioception is..

Answer 8

ability to place limbs

Question 9

What imaging techniques can we use during a neurological exam

Answer 9

Radiographs
MRI
CT scans
Nuclear scitingraphy

Question 10

Test involving collection of fluid in a needle and examining it for abnormalities…

Answer 10

CSF tap

Question 11

Measurement of electrical activity in muscles

Answer 11

Electromyography

Question 12

Malformation of a cervical vertebra that puts pressure on the spinal cord and causes neurological signs is…

Answer 12

Cervical Vertebral Malformation (CVM) or wobblers

Question 13

How will CVM occur

Answer 13

Abnormal development in young horse (6 months - 3 years)
Hereditary/nutritional

Occurs after arthritis in older horse

Trauma

Question 14

How is wobblers diagnosed

Answer 14

Clinical signs (ataxia, weakness)
Ragiographs +/- myelogram

Question 15

How is wobblers treated

Answer 15

Diet, NSAIDs, surgery

Question 16

How serious is wobblers?

Answer 16

Performance-limiting
~70% of surgically treated horses improve

Question 17

Complications of wobblers?

Answer 17

Trauma

Question 18

Virus that attacks the nervous system, passed from horse to horse through saliva, respiratory secretions or feces is…

Answer 18

Equine herpes virus 1
or rhinopneumonitis

Question 19

Clinical signs of EHV-1?

Answer 19

Ataxia, recumbancy ~6-12 days after exposure

Loss of bladder function

Question 20

How is EHV-1 diagnosed

Answer 20

Outbreaks
Antibodies

Question 21

How is EHV-1 treated?

Answer 21

Supportive (NSAIDS, fluids, prevent decubital ulcers, bladder catherization)

Question 22

What are decubital ulcers

Answer 22

Pressure sores from constant laying

Question 23

Can EHV-1 be vaccinated against?

Answer 23

Respiratory and reproductive forms have vaccines

Neurological form DOES NOT, but maybe resp/repro ones could offer some protection

Question 24

How serious is neurological EHV-1?

Answer 24

Large outbreaks and incidence of disease is high
Mildly affected can recover
Mortality rate 40%

Question 25

Complications of EHV-1?

Answer 25

Permanent gait alterations, loss of bladder function

Question 26

Viral disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, is zoonotic

Answer 26

West Nile Virus

Question 27

Neurological signs of west nile?

Answer 27

Ataxia Hindlimb paralysis Coma Tremors around nose/lips

Question 28

West nile is carried by _____ and spread by ______

Answer 28

Birds, mosquitoes

Question 29

What kind of hosts and humans and horses

Answer 29

Dead-end

Question 30

What is a dead end host

Answer 30

If a mosquito bites an infected person, it will not further spread the disease

Question 31

How is WNV diagnosed

Answer 31

Clinical signs Antibody levels (vaccine or infected?)

Question 32

How do you treat west nile

Answer 32

Supportive, NSAIDS

Question 33

Complications/seriousness of WNV

Answer 33

Fatal in 35% of horses (decreased since vaccine)

Question 34

Fatal disease caused by a toxin released from bacteria present in soil that enters through a wound

Answer 34

Tetanus

Question 35

The bacteria that causes tetanus is

Answer 35

Clostridium tetani

Question 36

Two species most susceptible to tetanus are...

Answer 36

Humans, horses

Question 37

How does tetanus affect the nervous system

Answer 37

Interferes with neurotransmitter fxn, constant contractions

Question 38

Clinical signs of tetanus?

Answer 38

Stiff-> full body rigidity Lips pulled back, nostrils flared, lockjaw In horses, third eyelid contracted

Question 39

How is tetanus diagnosed

Answer 39

Clinical signs History (puncture?) Not vaccinated?

Question 40

If a horse has tetanus, what can you use within 24h of exposure

Answer 40

Tetanus antitoxin

Question 41

If a horse has a cut, what should you give it

Answer 41

Tetanus booster

Question 42

How is tetanus treated

Answer 42

antitoxin Penicillin (antibiotic) Sedation Quiet Support

Question 43

How serious is tetanus

Answer 43

Survival is possible Rapidly fatal (5-10 days) euthanasia may be recommended

Question 44

Complications of tetanus?

Answer 44

Wounds or injuries due to inability to stand