In the past, the term “wobbles” has generally been used to describe neurological dysfunction resulting from a wide range of sources, including diseases such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Now, though, “wobbler syndrome” usually carries?a more specific meaning: a pinching of the spinal cord by vertebrae as a result of ?injury, vertebral malformation or arthritic changes. The condition occurs, for different reasons, in young, fast-growing colts and in horses old enough to be developing arthritis.
The good news is that, with appropriate treatment, many wobblers can return to comfortable, and many times, active lives.?But to be effective, treatment needs to start early. And that means identifying the problem as soon as the horse begins to show the first subtle signs of trouble.
In the June 2012 issue of EQUUS, a team of veterinary experts explained what every owner needs to know about wobbles. Click the link below to read and download the full article.