Diagnosis Lameness in Horses Flashcards by Caitlyn Crawford

What are three reasons a lameness exam is performed?

Lame horse
Pre-purchase exam
Poor performance

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What is a pre-purchase exam?

See if a horse is appropriate for the type of job the buyer wants to do

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What are the three categories that can attribute to lameness?

Neurologic
Metabolic
Mechanical

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What is the primary goal in lameness exam?

Localization and diagnosis

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What are the seven classic types of lameness diagnostic tests?

Hx
PE
Palpation
Observation
Flexion
Nerve blocks
Imaging

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T/F: Osteoarthritis warms OUT of the lameness

TRUE

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What percentage of lameness in equine is contributed to the foot?

80-90%

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What should be tested with hoof testers?

Wall
Sole
Frog
Heels

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Hoof testers identifies what kind of pain?

Focal pain

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What SHOULD NOT be squeezed w/ hoof testers?

Coronary band

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What is particular about the stride with a lame horse?

Stride=shortened

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What is a gait lameness graded from?

Straight away
Circles
Under saddle

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When can saddle lameness evaluation be helpful?

When you may be concerned for mild lameness

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What surface type is best for evaluation of lameness?

Firm and even surface (paved parking lot)

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How can you tell which forelimb is sound when observing during a lameness exam?

“Down on Sound”

The head rises when lame limb is weight bearing and down when sound limb is weight bearing

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How can you tell which hindlimb is sound when observing during a lameness exam?

Head goes down when lame limb is weightbearing

Increased gluteal excursion in lame limb

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Grade 1 lameness

Difficult to observe, inconsistent

Grade 2 lameness

Difficult to observe in a straight line but consistently apparent under certain circumstances (circling, hard surface and inclined)

Grade 3 lameness

consistently observable at a trot under all cirucmstances

Grade 4 lameness

Obvious lameness w/ marked head nod, hitching, shortened stride

Grade 5 lameness

Minimal weight bearing/NWB, inability/reluctance to move

What is noticed upon observation when a peroneus tertius rupture is present?

Hock extended while stifle is flexed

Weight bearing lameness but drag foot

What is the difference in prognosis w/ a peroneus tertius rupture distally vs. proximally?

Distally (@insertion site): good

Proximally (@origin site): worse

What is an upward fixation of patella (locking patella)

Patella cannot be dis-engaged and gets stuck on medial trochelar ridge of femur
Hindlimb in rigid extension

What muscle is weak in the locking patella?

Quadriceps are not strong enough to engage it to lift up and off the ridge

What is the treatment for locking patella?

Medial patella desmotomy or desmoplasty

Desmoplasty

Incise slits into medial patellar ligament to create inflammation and fibrose

What is stringhalt?

Hyper-reflexive gait in hind limbs (almost touches abdomen when flexed)

T/F: Stride length is shortened with stringhalt

FALSE- stride length not affected

What should be done in a patient with locking patella that you don't give anti-inflammatories to?

Exercise- try backing them up to unlock the patella | Only do this with a patient that you do not give anti-inflammatories to

When is stringhalt treated?

When there are performance issues

In horses with fibrotic myopathy- where is this commonly observed and what is seen?

Fibrosis in hamstrings | Shortened cranial phase- when bring foot forward, can't extend far and jerks back on the ground

What should be done immediately following flexion of a limb?

Trot in straight line immediately after flexion Positive test: exacerbated lameness False positive: occurs in young commonly, may be sore for a few steps and then walk it off

How long should you hold the distal forelimb in flexed position for flexion test?

30 seconds

What joints are flexed for a distal forelimb flexion test?

Fetlock, pastern, coffin

How long should you hold the proximal forelimb in flexion?

60 seconds

What joints are flexed for the proximal forelimb flexion test?

Shoulder, elbow, carpus

What joints are flexed in the distal hindlimb flexion test and how long do you hold this?

Fetlock, pastern, coffin joint | 30 seconds

How long is the proximal hindlimb flexed for in a flexion test?

90 seconds

T/F: Proximal hindlimb flexion test is hock specific

FALSE