Reasons for performing study
Tarsal pain is a common cause of hindlimb lameness in horses. Diagnosis can usually be made with radiography and ultrasonography; however, in some cases, these techniques are inconclusive and additional imaging is necessary. No studies describing computed tomography (CT) features of different tarsal lesions in horses with tarsal lameness are reported.
Objectives
Over a 19-year period, 51 horses showing chronic lameness or gait abnormality that was not fully responsive to veterinary treatment at other referral clinics were referred to us for further treatment. All had either failed to have a diagnosis made, or treatment for the diagnosed conditions had shown only partial response. After further examination, we concluded that they showed abnormal function of the neck or back, but there was no obvious pathological cause.
A 20-month-old Warmblood filly was evaluated for acute onset of a non weightbearing lameness and swelling of the left hindlimb. Clinical and lameness evaluation and diagnostic intrasynovial anaesthesia isolated the lameness to the left hind metatarsophalangeal region. Radiography and ultrasonography revealed a subchondral cystic lesion of the apical portion of the lateral proximal sesamoid bone associated with oedema and synovial effusion of the metatarsophalangeal joint.
Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to detect digital dermatitis (DD) prior to routine claw trimming. A total of 1192 IRT observations were collected from 149 cows on eight farms. All cows were housed in tie-stalls. The maximal surface temperatures of the coronary band (CB) region and skin (S) of the fore and rear feet (mean value of the maximal surface temperatures of both digits for each foot separately, CBmax and Smax) were assessed.
Distal border fragments of the navicular bone are increasingly being detected due to the improved capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but their clinical significance remains unclear. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the location, size, and frequency of fragments in a cohort of horses presented for MRI of the foot and to compare MRI findings with severity of lameness. Archived MRI studies and medical records were searched from March 2006 to June 2008. Horses were included if a distal border fragment of the navicular bone was visible in MRI scans.
Objective—To evaluate the effects of sequential anesthesia of the individual compartments of the equine stifle joint on lameness induced by intra-articular deposition of interleukin (IL)-1β.
Animals—6 horses.
Summary
Reasons for performing study
There are no peer reviewed, blinded controlled studies regarding the skeletal analgesic efficacy of intramuscularly administered meperidine in horses.
Objectives
Using an adjustable heart bar shoe model of equine foot pain, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that meperidine (pethidine) administered intramuscularly would prove more efficacious in alleviating lameness than a saline placebo.
Study design
Crossover pharmacodynamic experiment.
Methods
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of lameness and specific causes of lameness on standing time, number of lying bouts and test day yield (TDY) in cows at pasture and cows which were housed. Data were collected from 200 cows from 10 farms where cows were at pasture and 200 cows from 10 farms where they were housed. Each farm was visited twice over 3 days between May and August (autumn and winter) of 2009. At the first visit, 10 lame cows, all with locomotion score (LS) 3, and 10 non-lame cows, all with LS 1, were selected per farm.
Reasons for performing the study
Few reports are available on the relationship between developmental orthopaedic diseases (DOD) and future performances in Warmblood horses.
Objectives
To investigate the relationship between performance and the presence of DOD lesions.
Methods
Reasons for performing study
We have observed saddle slip consistently to one side because of a crooked rider, an ill-fitting saddle, asymmetry in a horse's thoracolumbar shape and lameness. Currently, there are no objective data to permit assessment of the relative importance of each factor.
Objectives