Can anyone tell me about their experiences with getting a myelogram done? If the horse came back as a surgical candidate did anyone opt for surgery? What was the outcome? Did the horse go back to a performance career or was it just to make them pasture sound? I’ve done searches and in reading it sounds like the rehab for basket surgery is rough so I’d love to get some personal experiences on how the horse came back to a performance career and if it was worth putting them through it.
I had a 5 yo get a myelogram done…he was having behavior issues, inconsistent lameness, and started to get neurologic. His cervical xrays were okay, but an area or two that were questionable. We did the myelogram to rule out at that point…as most other tests were negative. His myelogram was negative/normal…and that left us with a diagnosis of EDM. He did have a bit of an uncoordinated wake up according to the vet…he got up, but as she said, it wasn’t exactly pretty (he was also 18h). But he didn’t hurt himself or anyone in the process, so that was good. He definitely didn’t look very comfortable for a few days after the myelogram…and it did make his neuro issues a bit worse. We euthanized a few days later…and the patho report later confirmed EDM, with bilateral brainstem degeneration.
Following this post though…my current 4 yo looks like he might have something going on in his neck and we are headed to the university vet Monday for cervical and back xrays. So I am also interested in hearing what people say about the basket surgery…just in case I have to travel down that road too. Ugh.
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It all depends on what neurological grade your horse is before surgery. I think they say to expect improvement of 1-2 grades with a basket (it’s been a few years since I’ve recommended the surgery).
If you’re anywhere nearby, I would highly highly recommend Rood and Riddle for the myelogram and surgery. Dr Reed and Woodie do at least 1-2 baskets a month, and I can’t imagine anyone else comes anywhere close to that caseload.
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I bought a 5 year old German Riding Pony who passed a PPE with flying colors. About six months into having her, she basically tripped and lost control of her front legs, and fell onto her knees and then her side while I was riding. She continued to stumble both while riding and loose. About two months after the first fall, she again sort of lost control of her front legs while we were turning at the canter and we had a rotational fall. Vet came, pulled blood to rule out EPM and Lyme, and took neck x-rays, which showed some malformation at C6 and C7. I had her undergo a myelogram, and the vet found severe compression at C5-C7 and I believe into T1 and T2. He noted that she could be a candidate for basket surgery, but I elected not to because I would have to ship her across the country and she would most likely be limited to a lower level career. She came out of anesthesia fine, but was a little wobbly for a few hours afterwards.
Based on the results of the myelogram, I elected to have her euthanized, because I couldn’t afford to keep her as a pasture ornament, and I didn’t want her out of my control where someone might attempt to ride her again, since she basically looked fine. She was lower to mid level neurologic on most of the tests.
I did look into the basket surgery, but ultimately the cost (actual cost plus rehab, plus uncertain future) outweighed the benefits. Luckily, I had insured her and was able to recoup my expenses for the myelogram and her value.
Edit: fix typos
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My mare had a myelogram a few weeks ago. If at all possible, I recommend finding a clinic that can scan using a CT vs X-rays. And if you’re considering basket surgery, do the myelogram at the same clinic that does the surgeries. I heard Rood & Riddle is the place to do this.
My mare’s myelogram results were inconclusive with using X-rays, as the X-rays can only get images from the side, not from the top and bottom. If you’re going to put a horse under general anesthesia, might as well get the best diagnostic possible. She was pretty sore and quiet for probably 5-6 days after it.
Her myelogram report said she “showed two sites (C6-7 and C7-T1) with decreased total dural diameter (22% and 24% respectively). These numbers are concerning for possible compression, but do not confirm definitive compression.” My understanding is that the threshold is 20%, so this is pretty borderline.
With grade 1 on the neuro scale, she looks fine on the ground. However, she can’t be ridden. She has had both minor and major trips under saddle and actually fell when I was riding her once. Fortunately neither of us was injured beyond scrapes and bruises (thankful for my CO MIPS helmet!).
We actually treated her for EPM for two months after she fell (did not test for it first, as it’s relatively common around here and I wasn’t super keen on a spinal tap happening outside of a sterile setting), but the tripping continued, so I took her to a university clinic for a full neuro and lameness work up. Negative for EPM and Lyme. Mild high suspensory abnormality on a front leg (nothing that would cause a fall).
Next step was a myelogram, but alas, that’s turned out to be inconclusive as well.
She will not be ridden again, which is a shame, as she is young (not quite 6) and decently bred for a hunter.
Insurance covered diagnostics, but she’s not neuro enough (grade 3+) for insurance to cover her value if I euthanized.
Now I’m looking for a useful, kind, caring situation for her - perhaps as a nurse mare or recipient mare (she had a foal before I purchased her). I might end up donating her to the university to join their recip mare herd.
This has been a really sad situation - she was my first horse purchase in 25 years. She’s too neurological to ride, but not too neurological to make it an easy decision to euthanize.
I wish you the best in your situation! I don’t have experience with basket surgery, but wanted to chime in on the myelogram.
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20 years ago, my mare had a mylegram which discovered issues at C5, C6, and I believe C7. I elected to have the basket surgery which was performed by Dr. Reed and Dr. Richardson. Recovery was uneventful and fairly easy. She was up and eating hay several hours out of surgery. I went on to show her in the adult amateurs from Florida to Kentucky. She is now retired and living happily in my pasture. Would I do it again? Hell yes!
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I rehabbed one sent to me after the horse had been to several other rehab facilities without success. His surgery had been over a year ago when he arrived here. We rehabbed him to the point his person was able to ride and jump him again safely.
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What is the rehab like for the basket surgery?
Three friends had horses who had basket surgery.
One returned to jumping, but always looked a bit mechanically off. Died a number of years later when hit by car crossing a road in dark in early AM. In other words, it wasn’t the neck that caused his demise.
Second horse started rehab under saddle wasn’t right, and was retired.
Third horse had very ugly recovery in weeks/months after surgery, to the point that the owner almost euthanized him. Eventually returned to work and low jumps. A year or so after they started riding him, he slipped in a grass turnout, badly damaged his neck, and was euthanized.
I doubt I would do the surgery on one of mine based on the above.
I agree that prognosis is best given by the surgeon who has a large number of cases under the belt, particularly with degree and location of the lesion. Anecdotal information is helpful but can be slanted. The surgery and rehab are a large commitment of time and effort and one must be prepared for any outcome
I did my technology internship when Dr Reed et al were developing the Bagby technique at WSU
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@Dubyuhnell - sorry about the awful and sad situation with your mare.
Some vets say that if the horse falls it it an automatic 3 or more on the neuro scale. Know of one where the clinic said it was a maybe 1+ but home sport horse vet graded it higher bc of falling. Or they may find something upon necropsy that turns out to have justified the euthanasia, but that is obviously a risk WRT to collecting insurance money. In both of those scenarios you need a good vet in your corner.
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Good point as my N=3 is not statistically significant. Though I do think that some surgeons are a bit too eager to cut.
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Agree. I would get an opinion of a sport horse or lameness expert who likely has a large number of referred clients for surgery. This removes one step of bias. How did their patient progress or result, both short and long term.
The bottom line is for the OP to decide what they want as a result. Do they want a performance horse or are they content with a horse who is pasture sound and safe for leisure trail rides.
Thank you for all the responses thus far! Those that have gone through rehab, what was that like? What is involved?
I’m so sorry for those of you who have had to go through this.
Nothing is confirmed yet with my horse, a 5 year old warmblood - whom I bred to be a dressage horse, with hopes of FEI one day. We did neck/back xrays a couple weeks ago due to behavioral issues under saddle after a couple lameness workups have not revealed anything significant. The xrays showed narrowing at C5-C6, I can’t quite remember the exact percentage measured but I believe it was in the forties %. This horse has never seemed obviously neuro. He is not clumsy, actually the opposite - too agile and athletic, no continual tripping, etc. Not to say he couldn’t have mild deficits that we have not noticed previously. Vet talked about myelogram after xrays but they are coming back this week to start with a neuro exam and make a plan. I’m not sure yet which referral hospital we would go to if we go to a myelogram. Horse is insured so will hopefully have some financial help with diagnostics and possibly even surgery if that is indicated. So, not sure on the neuro grade yet, which I know will effect the plan moving forward. This is truly breaking my heart…I am trying to keep my hope’s up that maybe there’s no impingement and it’s something else more easily treatable 
. I’m just trying to mentally prepare and get some thoughts from people that have gone through this themselves.
I’m not sure if you are asking me…the horse came to me after he had failed rehab at several other places and approximately a year after surgery. We were diligent w propreception work. First walking one pole, adding more as he got better, moving poles on a curve, raising them on opposite sides, then raising them all- first on a straight line and then on a curve. Then we went through the same process at the trot in hand. We did something nearly every day. When he was good at the trot, we added a saddle, then a rider. We always started over at the walk w a pole. He went to his regular home after his owner was able to walk, trot and canter and jump small cross rails, which was her goal. Anytime we added something new, we always went back to the walk over a pole and started over.
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When you say walking one pole, are they going over it (horse perpendicular to the pole) or are they straddling it?
Hi! I’m sorry I didn’t explain things very well. We hand walked over it back and forth both directions like a cavaletti. After he could do that mistake-free, we added a second pole based upon hoof prints, then a third, fourth, fifth and sixth. After he negotiated that well, we started completely over on a curve-again both directions. Then we went back to straight- with a pole elevated on one side. We would add a pole one at a time w every other one elevated on the opposite side. Then we raised both sides-again, adding a pole at a time. After he did that well, we did the entire exercise over on a curve both directions. When we started the trot, we started the same way -one pole at a time. It was tedious and took a lot of time and attention to detail but it worked.
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Oh…adding one of the things we did was put him on a lunge line to measure how well the poles were working. We would lunge him and see how far around the circle he could hold a true, 4 beat walk. When he could hold it well, we (I guess I should say “I”) felt comfortable increasing the difficulty. He was quite a nice horse; this was time consuming but very rewarding.
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Thank you. I was just curious - this is one surgery I’ve luckily have yet to experience rehabbing for.
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Have the vets mentioned the possibility of EDM?
Your description could exactly fit my 5yo gelding who I had to euthanize a little over a year ago due to EDM. Behavioral issues…not overtly neurologic (at least not until it did start to progress rather quickly, but we were in the middle of diagnostics by then). Some questionable areas on xray but clear on myelogram.
There are a few good articles about it now…also a video from Dr. Amy Johnson at NBC.
