abnormal gait

Question
I've previously emailed you about my mare who is displaying an abnormal gait, your information was helpful. we (vets and i) decided to try box rest with anti-inflammatories and diazepam (very sore back muscles) for 6 weeks but to no avail, last week we lunged her and there was no improvement at all, so we took cervical and thoracic radiographs. one vet questioned the jnction between C6 & C7, however another (who has also been involved in her case) thoght there was a possible narrowing between C5 & C6. She is now booked in for scintigraphy in 10 days to see if we have find anything else. However a friend of a friend who is also a vet suggested it could be headshaking, her trying to strike at her face when she lowers her head. I've uploaded 3 videos onto youtube.com and would really like you to have a look at them and give me your opinion. the movement is more pronounced when she is ridden. she will headshake when we turn for home on a hack, and when i have tried to clip her she head shakes tremendously. thank you very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjQNMAGaKrY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTcgN7AzBAE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITd9FsZfeX4

anna hoekstra

Answer
Ann:

the videos are difficult to evaluate. the shadows obscure some of the circles. However, the lunging I did see on the video is not clearly indicative of a head shaking condition to me. But, the evaluation of a head shaker involves alot more than just watching the horse go in circles. The head movments shown in the video may or may not be due to a condition such as that, but further diagnostics are required to evaluate for head shakiong condistions (there is not just one cause). Empirically, Id would say, and again Im hampered by not being able to see this horse in person, the horse does not necessarily look right to me in the back end.

I also dont understand if and how the problem has changed from an abnormal gait to possible head-shaking. These 2 conditions to me look very different and Im unclear how the head shaking condition can be proposed as the cause of an abnormal gait. Indeed, I think it is possible that the horse could have a head shaking problem and a gait problem. what do your vets think?? Do they see a gait problem??
I think you need to get an internist who looks at alot of neck radiographs to interpret the neck xrays. There are measurments that can be made and the changes at 5-6, 6-7 may be normal as they are often encountered in normal horses as they age, perform and exercise. Also, an internist can further evaluate your horse for head shaking conditions if you and your vets feel that pursuing that problem is also worthwhile. Also, the internist should do a good neurological exam on this horse to evaluate for neurological gait problems, then a good lameness exam is warranted by a good lameness vet and/or a board-certified surgeon. Im sorry I cant be more specific, but i would need to be able to examine this horse my self and see it move in person. Contact me again and let me know if I can help in any other way. good luck. I think the scintigraphy idea is a good one too.