Cervico-thoracic vertebral subluxation in sheep: Awareness among veterinarians of a rare syndrome

J W Aleri; S Russell; J Richardson; N S Stephens; G K C Lee; M Laurence

doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.03.005

Cervico-thoracic vertebral subluxation in sheep: Awareness among veterinarians of a rare syndrome

Res Vet Sci. 2020 Jun:130:79-86. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.03.005. Epub 2020 Mar 3.

Authors

J W Aleri¹, S Russell², J Richardson², N S Stephens², G K C Lee³, M Laurence²

Affiliations

¹ School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. Electronic address: J.Aleri@murdoch.edu.au.
² School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
³ Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.

PMID: 32151814
DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.03.005

Abstract

Cervico-thoracic vertebral subluxation (CTVS) in sheep is a collective term that is used to describe various conditions that concomitantly affect the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, leading to their collapse. The aetiology and pathophysiology of CTVS remain unknown. The objective of this study was to conduct an epidemiological farm investigation and describe the clinicopathological findings of CTVS cases occurring in a flock of sheep; as well as to determine awareness of CTVS among sheep producers and ruminant veterinarians in Australia. Diagnostic imaging revealed severe deformities in the vertebrae between C6-C7 and T1-T3. Sheep affected with CTVS were at a four times higher risk of having low body condition scores (< 2 based on a 5-point scale) compared with non-affected sheep, OR = 3.98, 95% CI (1.20-12.65), p = .02. Survey results revealed that only 34% (15/44) of respondents were aware of CTVS. There is a need to further explore the aetiology and pathophysiology of CTVS, and the impact it has on sheep breeding and production.

Keywords: BCS; CTVS; Sheep.

MeSH terms

Animals
Australia
Cervical Vertebrae / injuries*
Clinical Competence / statistics & numerical data*
Sheep / injuries
Sheep Diseases / psychology*
Spinal Diseases / psychology
Spinal Diseases / veterinary*
Thoracic Vertebrae / injuries*
Veterinarians / psychology
Veterinarians / statistics & numerical data*