Tail deviation in horses is anecdotally viewed as an indicator of lameness. Compensatory mechanisms in lame horses are well documented, however there is no information published on the relationship between lameness and tail carriage in horses. The objectives of this study were to quantify differences in tail carriage in relation to the type of lameness (front/hind, left/right) and to establish a relationship with confounding variables.
Problems in the musculoskeletal system are the most common reason for impaired function and culling in insured riding horses in Sweden. Impaired function of the fetlock, e.g. arthritis, is a believed to be a multi-factorial problem. The aim of the pilot study was to find factors associated with problems in the fetlock.
There are few refereed blinded controlled documentations of skeletal analgesic efficacy of firocoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. The objective was to test the hypotheses that intravenous firocoxib and phenylbutazone are comparable in efficacy and that both are more efficacious in alleviating lameness than placebo in an adjustable heart bar shoe model of equine foot pain.
There are no refereed blinded controlled documentations of the skeletal analgesic efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone. The objective was to test the hypothesis that intravenous dexamethasone is more efficacious in alleviating lameness than placebo in a reversible adjustable heart bar shoe model of equine foot pain.
Lameness is a significant welfare and economic issue in all dairy systems. However, there is only a limited amount of published data on the incidence and prevalence of lameness in the pasture-based systems used in New Zealand. One key area where knowledge is lacking is how well farmer perception of lameness matches that identified by more objective locomotion scoring. Previous studies of this topic have focussed on housed cows.
Reasons for performing the study
There is limited information on risk factors for elimination from endurance rides.
Objectives
To assess risk factors for elimination for lameness and metabolic reasons from Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) endurance rides of 80–160 km distance.
Study design
Unmatched case–control.
Methods
Objective—To determine the safety and short-term efficacy of intrabursal administration of botulinum toxin type B (BTXB) to alleviate lameness in horses with degenerative injury to the podotrochlear apparatus (PA).
Animals—10 Quarter Horses with degenerative injury to the PA.
Objective: Characterization of a model of reversible foot lameness in the horse. Methods: Both forelimb hooves were fitted with a circumferential clamp. After three baseline measurements utilizing a force platform, one clamp was tightened to induce a grade 2.5/5 lameness and left in place for 120 hours. Serial heart rate and force platform measurements were obtained and the asymmetry index was calculated. After 120 hours, the clamp was released and force platform data recorded until the horse returned to soundness. The procedure was repeated for the opposite forelimb.
The objectives of this study were to assess the correlation between hoof surface temperature and ultrasonographic measurements of digital blood vessels in horses and to evaluate the measurements' potential as predictors for clinical lameness. Twelve 3-year-old American Quarter Horses, 6 geldings and 6 mares, with average initial body weight of 459 ± 31 kg were used. On days 0, 30, 60, and 90 of the study, horses were weighed and subjected to clinical lameness examinations.
Reasons for performing study
Lameness is a common problem in the horse. Despite this, information on the incidence of lameness in horses in the UK is restricted to studies of lameness in performance horses, racehorses or referral hospital populations.
Objectives
To determine the overall incidence and common causes of lameness in a working horse population and incidence, duration and outcome of conditions observed.
Study design
Prospective questionnaire study.
Methods