Cerebellar abiotrophy in horses

[AJ]

A friend just called and had a foal yesterday that is very unstable and has difficulty walking. It is nursing regularly. While it was only one day old , the vet suggested it might be CA. Since usually someone within the vast forum population has experienced every disease, even if rare, I am wondering if anyone out there has had experience with Cerebellar Abiotrophy, and if so, what was the outcome.

 

[Sixstardanes]

No experience here but I did come across this informative page.

http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/genomic/cerebellar/

 

[kaykay]

that article says its almost exclusively found in Arabians and linked to a certain bloodline. Doesnt seem feasible for a mini?

Could it be wobblers? Was a snap test done? Foals can seem to be nursing and not really be nursing. Foals that didnt get enough colostrum will be wobbly and weak. Then theres the Rh factor so if that is present the foal will get sick from nursing and has to be seperated.

Sending good thoughts

 

[Ellen]

Was the birth normal? Was there any difficulty?

 

[madmax]

A friend just called and had a foal yesterday that is very unstable and has difficulty walking. It is nursing regularly. While it was only one day old , the vet suggested it might be CA. Since usually someone within the vast forum population has experienced every disease, even if rare, I am wondering if anyone out there has had experience with Cerebellar Abiotrophy, and if so, what was the outcome.

Yes, I had a colt born this way. The birth was easy, quick and at the usual gestation out of a very experienced mare that had may normal foals.. He made violent movements when he tried to walk and would crash into the walls, so I spent hours holding him in my lap and syringe feeding him until the vet came - we thought he might be a dummy foal at that moment. (It was freezing in the 20's also, so I had to keep him warm)

He was treated intravenously, I cannot remember all of the drugs, but one I know was DMSO to reduce swelling in the brain. The violent movements stopped, but he was very uncoordinated, could not correctly use those legs, and still did not nurse. My daughter and I worked as a team and 'taught' him how to walk to his dam and nurse by using 'patterning technique' that is used on humans with disabilites.That worked very well and he made strides with that.

My vet diagnosed him with this disease, he had seen this before in arabians, and took an interest in him and made lots of photos. We decided to give him a chance at life and he lived for 10 years. He had normal intelligence and behavior, he just could not walk normally, he was very spastic, but interstingly, he could RUN perfectly. His entire life he never had a sick day or colicked and though he was kept separately because he could not keep his balance if bumped, he lived next to the stallions and they were very kind to him as if they knew he was different.