Concerned about ECVM? This update brings important information about the C6-C7 malformation, with news of a new website and register, the radiographic protocol, and an online talk by Sharon May-Davis.
ECVM Website and Register
A new website has been put together by Sharon May-Davis, Zefanja Vermeulen and Thirza Hendricks.
This brings together the information published in different locations about ECVM, including links to the scientific papers.
In a bid to support future genetic research, you are invited to register your diagnosed (i.e. positively radiographed) ECVM horse into a new database.
The site owners promise that “all data will be handled carefully and according to our privacy guidelines”.
Visit the new website here: ECVM – all breeds
Radiographic Protocol for ECVM
It’s been out for a while now, but a veterinary radiographic protocol has been published for the identification of this malformation.
This is different to the one used for Wobbler Syndrome and cervical osteoarthritis.
Dr Christine Gee, an Australian veterinarian, developed the protocol as part of her ongoing research into the effects of ECVM in horses.
It’s an open access paper in Animals, the scientific journal, which means you don’t have to pay to read it.
Follow this link – Animals – and download the PDF.
Or, send your equine vet the link: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/4/667
Gee, C.; Small, A.; Shorter, K.; Brown, W.Y. A Radiographic Technique for Assessment of Morphologic Variations of the Equine Caudal Cervical Spine. Animals 2020, 10, 667.
Sharon May-Davis Talks About ECVM
Finally, in case you missed it, in December 2020, Sharon May-Davis gave a presentation about the malformation and her related research.
You should definitely take some time out to watch this, as it’s both disturbing and fascinating.
The photo on the YouTube link (below) isn’t Sharon, of course. To redress the imbalance, I’ve added a lovely picture of Sharon 🙂