Clinical Application LA Thoracic Limb

Question 1

What forms the ventral border of the jugular groove?

Answer 1

The sternocephalicus

Question 2

Where can IM injections be given in a horse?

Answer 2

Dorsal to the cervical vertebrae and ventral to the nuchal ligament

Hamstring- avoid points of tuber ischia

Pectoral muscles

Question 3

What joints communicate in the horse? Why is this important?

Answer 3

Middle carpal and carpometacarpal.

Synovial cavity and fluid of the middle carpal and carpometacarpal joints communicate so an injection can be given in the larger joint (middle carpal) for both

Question 4

What are the names of the carpal joints? Name them proximal to distal end.

Answer 4

antebrachiocarpal, middle carpal, carpometacarpal

Question 5

What are the frog/ergot/chestnut?

Answer 5

Vestiges of digital, metacarpal and carpal pads

Question 6

Why is the ligament of the ergot important?

Answer 6

They are a palpable landmark for finding VAN complex (surgery or local anesthetic)

You do NOT want to confuse this with the palmar/plantar digital nerve during surgery

Question 7

Name the components of the hoof capsule.

Answer 7

Wall (toe- cranial, quarter - lateral, heel- palmar)
Sole
Frog (digital pad)
Coronet (coronary) band

Question 8

What is the “white line” of the hoof?

Answer 8

Lamina that has grown out at the sole surface

Demarcation between the sole and hoof wall.

Never drive a nail central to the white line

Question 9

What are germinal hoof tissues called?

Answer 9

Corium

Question 10

What are the parts of the corium?

Answer 10

perioplic corium (cuticle)
coronary corium (bulk of hoof wall)
laminar corium

Question 11

What are the components of the laminar corium?

Answer 11

sensitive (dermal lamina)

insenitive (epidermal lamina)

Question 12

What stops the bone column from sinking to the ground in a horse?

Answer 12

The sole is slightly concave

Question 13

What is laminitis?

Answer 13

Foundering

sensitive and insensitive laminar corium separate

Question 14

What can tendinitis at the level of the fetlock lead to?

Answer 14

Compression by the palmar annular ligament and compound the pathology

Question 15

What is “capped elbow”?

Answer 15

triceps tendon of insertion passes over the olecranon; the olecranon bursa lies between the tendon and the bon

inflammation –> effusion –> capped elbow

Question 16

What is synovial effusion?

Answer 16

abnormal accumulation of synovial fluid within a joint, bursa, or tendon sheath

Question 17

Once a synovial structure is infected, the resultant tissue damage can be catastrophic and potentially life threatening. Why?

Answer 17

Infection is much more challenging to treat in these areas.

These structures are designed for high motion and always near or associated with weight bearing structures.

Question 18

What is a popped splint bone?

Answer 18

Damage to interosseous ligament between MT / MC II and III or between III and VI

Question 19

Why is medial splint bone more likely to get “popped splint bone” than the lateral splint bone?

Answer 19

Carpal bone II rests entirely on the medial splint bone; carpal bone IV rests on both MC III and IV so the medial splint bone is more affected by downward pressure.