FieldDxCervical Compressive Myelopathy (Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy / Wobbler Syndrome / Cervical Vertebral Instability)Clinical signs, differential diagnosis, treatment and prevention in horses.
Overview
"Wobbler syndrome" -- spinal cord compression in young, rapidly growing horses from malformed cervical vertebrae. A likely genetic predisposition (Thoroughbreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Warmbloods) combined with rapid growth on a rich diet; may also follow neck injury.
Clinical signs
- Symmetric ataxia often of sudden onset; hindlimbs are most severely affected; compression of the cervical spinal cord is demonstrated by contrast myelography; CSF is normal.
Predisposing factors
- Male sex (geldings have an odds ratio OR of 2.0, intact males have an OR of 2.4 compared to females).
- Age is a critical risk factor (highest risk is in horses 12 to 23 months of age with an OR of 16.4, followed by 6 to 11 months with an OR of 6.6).
- Breed is also significant (Tennessee Walking Horses OR 2.3, Warmbloods OR 1.9, and Thoroughbreds OR 1.7 are predisposed compared to Quarter Horses).
Look-alikes to rule out
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis West Nile Encephalitis Ryegrass Staggers
Treatment
- Medical treatment consisting of rest and anti-inflammatory drugs has a poor prognosis.
- Surgical fusion of the cervical vertebrae (ventral stabilization) is useful in the treatment of mild to moderately affected horses.
- A 'paced growth' program of slowed growth achieved by nutritional restriction of young horses (foals and weanlings) has been suggested as conservative treatment.
Prevention
Nutritional restriction to achieve a slowed growth rate in at-risk animals is a prudent preventive strategy.
Source
A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goat by ELSEVIER (Passages 172, 173)
MSD Veterinary Manual — Congenital and Inherited Spinal Cord Disorders in Large Animals (accessed 2026-08-11)
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