Treatment
The patient was sedated with acepromazine (0.02 mg/kg bodyweight
intravenously), detomidine (0.01 mg/kg bodyweight intravenously) and
morphine (0.1mg/kg bodyweight intravenously) with the horse restrained
in stocks. A C1-C2 ultrasound guided injection was performed. A total of
120mg of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-medrone 40mg/ml,
Pfizer) was injected into the cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, 40mg
methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-medrone 40mg/ml, Pfizer) was
injected into the atlanto-occiptal joint under ultrasound guidance.
The following day a repeat neurological examination showed that the
patient was grade 1 ataxic in all four limbs, the tail pull response was
markedly better with only some weakness on tail pull to the right whilst
the patient had an increased range of motion of the neck.