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Falls, awkward movements, and getting cast in a stall can be causes of neuritis (inflammation of nerves) in the horse’s spine. Pain, stiffness, poor reflexes, and diminished function are signs that nerves in a particular area of the neck or back have been damaged by trauma or compression. Many of these injuries will resolve with time, though some lead to permanent problems.

Neuritis affecting the horse’s lower back may develop gradually but can also show up immediately after a fall or severe wrenching motion. In either case, the initial problem is usually an injury in the region of the horse’s pelvis. Irritation and swelling from the injury put pressure on the cauda equina, the terminus of the spinal cord where the nerve fibers begin to branch out. These nerves control function of the horse’s bladder, rectum, and anus. The most common signs of neuritis of the cauda equina (NCE) may include dribbling urine, lack of anal tone, difficulty in passing manure, and decreased ability to move the tail. Horses might also show muscle wasting as well as stumbling, toe-dragging, or incoordination affecting the hind legs.

Other conditions such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, meningitis, or herpesvirus infections can cause similar signs. For this reason, it’s important to have a veterinarian examine the horse, diagnose the specific problem, and suggest treatment.

Long-term management of horses with NCE is time-consuming and labor-intensive because severely affected horses must have their rectums manually emptied. Other care can include treating chronic skin infections caused by urine scalding. Though some horses with NCE improve over time, very few show significant recovery and many become progressively more impaired and must be euthanized.

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