- Lameness (equine)
Lameness in
horse s and otherequidae is a term used to refer to any number of conditions where the animal fails to travel in a regular and sound manner on all four feet. There are many causes of lameness, but they can be broadly grouped into the following categories:*
Laminitis or other inflammatory diseases of the hoof
*Injury to bone, muscle, tendons or ligaments, ranging from pulled muscles to broken bones.
*Complications of inflammation orstocking up related to overwork
*Injury induced by compensation for strain or pain in other parts of the body, particularly the back
*Neurological disorders, such asWobbler's syndrome
*Swelling and inflammation linked to infection, such ascellulitis or thrush.
*Hoof problems, including injury, disease and poorfarrier work
*Diseases affecting connective tissue, such asEquine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis andHYPP
*Conformation defect leading to stress or injury, such ascow-hocked orsickle-hocked conformation.Diagnosing and treating lameness
Lameness severity is typically evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with higher numbers indicating a more significant degree of impairment. A 1 rating suggests a horse with a minor gait deficit, a 5 is "broken-legged" lame, indicating that the horse will not put weight on the affected leg. Initial assessment may include a visual check for outward injuries such as cuts or swelling, observation of a horse as it travels at different gaits, particularly the walk and trot.
Flexion test s may also be performed, and hooves will be checked for signs of injury.After the initial assessment, a typical procedure is to perform regional limb anesthesia (nerve blocks) to help to pinpoint the area affected. Once the causative area is determined, then
radiographs orultrasound are performed to determine which particular structures are involved. More advanced imaging techniques includescintigraphy ,computed tomography , andMRI .Treatment varies depending on the condition diagnosed, but at a minimum includes rest, appropriate medication and other supportive therapies. Consultation with a
veterinarian is generally recommended, even for mild cases, as some types of mild lameness may worsen if not properly diagnosed and treated.An important component of an
equine prepurchase exam is a thorough lameness examination to rule out existing unsoundness.Types of lameness
There are dozens of different types of lameness in horses. In addition, many conditions sometimes, though not always, have lameness as a symptom. Finally, there are a number of permanent blemishes that indicate that a horse has been lame in the past or has been subjected to strain that may lead to lameness in the future. These assorted conditions include:
*Bog spavin
*Bone spavin
*Bowed tendon
*Curb
*Laminitis
*Navicular Disease
*Osselet s
*Ringbone
*Sesamoiditis
*Sidebone
*Splints , usually a blemish after the acute period
*Stringhalt
*Windpuffs Conditions of the leg that are purely blemishes and are not linked to lameness include:
*Shoe boil ee also
*
Equine conformation
*Skeletal system of the horse
*Equine anatomy
*Horse hoof
*Horse care
*Flexion test
*Equine prepurchase exam References
*Giffen, James M. and Tom Gore. "Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook.", 2nd ed. New York:Howell Book House, 1989, 1998. ISBN 0876056060
*King, Christine, BVSc, MACVSc, and Mansmann, Richard, VDM, PhD. "Equine Lameness." Equine Research, Inc. 1997.
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