Syringomyelia in a cow

Abstract

In the present paper a case of syringomyelia in a cow is described. The results of necropsy and a complete description of the intra-medullary cavity are given. This cavity, at the height of the sixth lombar vertebra is close to but not dependent of the ependimary canal and measures 0.5 cm in diameter by 6 cm in length. This seems to be the first case of syringomyelia described in cattle since Bullard himself held some doubts about the case he reported in 1935. A revision is made of the several theories concerning the genesis of intramedullary cavities. It is accepted that in the present case the cavity could be explained by an anomalous development of the glia in the course of the fetal development.