Cervical Vertebral Stenotic Myelopathy in a Nelore Calf

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This paper reports a case of cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM) affecting a Nelore (Bos taurus indicus) calf for the first time. CVSM is a result of vertebral malformation that causes compressive injury in the spinal cord. The clinical signs include weakness and ataxia. The cause of CVSM has not been well-determined, but inheritance, nutrition, and environmental factors have been proposed. The scarce information in the literature suggests that CVSM is underdiagnosed or under-reported in cattle. ABSTRACT: This paper aims to report clinical, laboratory, radiographic, and pathological features in a case of cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM) affecting a 4-month-old Nelore calf for the first time. During physical examination, the calf could stand if assisted when lifting by the tail but fallen to the ground when trying to walk. Attempts to flex and extend the neck to the right side failed. Radiographs findings consisted of reduced intervertebral spaces, and misalignments between the endplates, more evident between the C3 and C4 vertebrae, resulting in narrowing of the spinal canal and compression of the spinal cord. Grossly, C4 showed cranial articular surface malformation, abnormal metaphyseal growth plate development, reduced vertebral body size and deformity. Histologically, C4 showed an abnormal vertebral bone development characterized by moderate replacement of trabecular bone by fibrous tissues, multifocal areas of dystrophic hyaline cartilage development, and cartilaginous growth failure along the metaphyseal growth plate. Cervical spinal cord within the stenotic vertebral canal showed swollen neurons with central chromatolysis, areas of Wallerian degeneration, and necrotic debris. In contrast with the well-known Wobbler syndrome in horses, the etiology of CVSM in cattle remains undetermined, and further genetic and pathological studies must be conducted to elucidate it.