Affects: Dogs
Wobbler disease is a catchall term referring to several possible malformations of the cervical vertebrae that cause an unsteady (wobbly) gait and weakness in dogs and horses. A number of different conditions of the cervical (neck) spinal column cause similar clinical signs. These conditions may include malformation of the vertebrae, intervertebral disc protrusion, and disease of the interspinal ligaments, ligamenta flava, and articular facets of the vertebrae. Wobbler disease is also known as cervical vertebral instability (CVI), cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM), and cervical vertebral malformation (CVM). In dogs, the disease is most common in large breeds, especially Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers. In horses, it is not linked to a particular breed, though it is most often seen in tall, race-bred horses of Thoroughbred or Standardbred ancestry. It is most likely inherited to at least some extent in dogs and horses.
Clinical Presentation: Including the symptoms listed above, clinical presentations of "wobblers" can also include neck pain and stiffness, difficulty tracking up or gait abnormalities, decreased performance, intermittent or swapping lameness particularly in diagonal pairs, forelimb lameness, abnormal head and neck posture, defensiveness or change in behavior, and abnormal sweat patterns.
Diagnosis: Wobbler disease is definitively diagnosed by x-ray, nuclear scintigraphy or bone scan. X-rays will show channel widening or filling the easiest and are often most cost-effective to horse owners. X-rays will also show any structural anomaly, arthritis, facet remodeling, or bone spurs present. Preliminary diagnosis can be made by ultrasound but x-rays are needed to measure the true depth of facet involvement. For extent of damage to associated structures, veterinarians may opt to have the horse undergo a bone scan or nuclear scintigraphy.