Equine MSK disease 5 Flashcards
What may cause gas artefacts on a radiograph of the equine distal limb?
Nerve blocks prior to radiographs may introduce air into the soft tissues which may be seen on radiographs if taken soon after blocking
Which aspects of the equine limb are highlighted in the following radiographic views:
a: LM
b: DM
c: DLPMO
d: DMPLO
a: Dorsal and palmar aspects
b: Lateral and medial aspects
c: dorsomedial and palmarlateral
d: dorsolateral and palmarmedial
What is useful as a reference point when assessing radiographs of the equine hock?
The calcaneous is on the lateral aspect of the limb
What structures will be visible on the dorsal aspect of the equine hock on a DLPMO radiograph?
- Medial trochlea of talus
- Central tarsal bone
- Third tarsal bone
- Third metatarsal bone
What structures will be visible on the plantar aspect of the equine hock on a DLPMO radiograph?
- Calcaneous
- 4th tarsal bone
- 4th metatarsal bone
What structures will be visible on the dorsal aspect of the equine hock on a DMPLO radiograph?
- Lateral aspect of talus
- Central tarsal bone
- Third tarsal bone
- Third metatarsal bone
What structures will be visible on the plantar aspect of the equine hock on a DMPLO radiograph?
- Calcaneous (some superimposition)
- 2nd tarsal bone
- 2nd metatarsal bone
What structures will be visible on the dorsal aspect of the equine carpus on a DLPMO radiograph?
- Radial carpal bone
- 3rd carpal bone
- 3rd metacarpal bone
What structures will be visible on the palmar aspect of the equine carpus on a DLPMO radiograph?
- Accessory carpal bone
- Ulnar carpal bone
- 4th carpal bone
- 4th metacarpal bone
What structures will be visible on the dorsal aspect of the equine carpus on a DMPLO radiograph?
- Intermediate carpal bone
- Third carpal bone
- Third metacarpal bone
What structures will be visible on the palmar aspect of the equine carpus on a DMPLO radiograph?
- Part of accessory carpal bone
- Radial carpal bone
- 2nd carpal bones
- 2nd metacarpal bone
Which joints of the equine carpus always have an anatomic communication?
Carpometacarpal and the middle carpal
Discuss the importance of the rapid growth of young animals for the diagnosis and approach to lameness in young horses
- Signs are the same, lameness evaluation is the same
- Angular limb deformities may resolve, or worsen quickly
- Cases need to be reviewed more frequently than in adults
- Casts are quickly outgrown, need changing regularly
- Need to treat quickly as adaptation of the bone and deformation of cartilage can occur quickly and affect adult conformation
Why can treatment of lameness be difficult in young horses?
- Think skin → rapid development of pressure sores under bandages/casts
- Small hooves with thin wall so shoes are difficult to attach
- Manipulation/physical therapy may be resented
- Inappropriate forces may initiate other/more pathology and reduce effectiveness of treatments
Discuss the key considerations when managing lameness in young horses
- Contralateral limb - esp. in foals, lameness in one limb may lead to ALD due to abnormal forces
- Other areas of same limb: e.g. carpal valgus may → fetlock varus
- Need to alter mechanical forces on limbs using trimming, shoe extensions, valve casts
Give examples of juvenile ostrochondral conditions in the horse
- Osteochondrosis/-itis dissecans
- Subchondral cystic lesions
- Physeal dysplasia
- Cuboidal bone collapse
Give examples of developmental orthopaedic disease that may occur in young horses
- Juvenile osteochondral conditions
- Angular limb deformities
- Flexural limb deformities
- Cervical vertebral malformation
Explain the difference between angular and flexural limb deformities in horses
- Angular: issue with angle of limb, related to growth of bone
- Flexural: related to soft tissues, contracture of extensor/flexor tendons
Which breeds of horse are predisposed to developmental orthopaedic diseases?
- Irish TB (most common in England)
- Also WB and SB
Discuss the aetiology of developmental orthopaedic diseases in young horses
- Poorly understood, multifactorial
- Rapid growth leads to laxity, contraction, flexural limb deformities
- Overnutritional (maternal and foetal)
- Unbalanced nutrition
- Genetic predisposition
- Biomechanical forces (abnormal forces on normal tissue or normal forces on abnormal tissue)
Outline the pathophysiology of osteochondrosis
- Failure of endochondral ossification as a result of cartilage necrosis associated with necrotic cartilage canal blood vessels
- Does not ossify, leading to cartilage core in subchondral bone
- May heal by specific ages varying by site, or progress to cause clinical signs (no cartilage covering bone leading to fragmentation)
By what age should osteochondrosis lesions of the following sites heal in order to not progress and cause clinical signs?
a: Lateral trochlear ridge of femur
b: Distal intermediate ridge of tibia
a: 8 months
b: 5 months
Discuss the role of exercise in the development of osteochondrosis in young horses
Increased risk with box rest and irregular exercise
Discuss the role of diet in the development of osteochondrosis in young horses
- Excessive digestible energy
- Excessive dietary phosphorous
- Copper deficiency or low Cu:Zn ratio (lysyl oxidase)
- Concentrate feeding during gestation
What are the 3 manifestations of osteochondrosis lesions in young horses?
- Thickened cartilage
- Intraarticular cartilage fragments (osteochondrosis dissecans)
- Subchondral bone cysts
How might subchondral bone cysts develop in young horses?
- As a result of ischaemic chondronecrosis lesions
- Can also be secondary to trauma
Describe the progression of osteochondrosis lesions in young horses
- Thickened cartilage may progress to OCD lesions, or subchondral bone cyst
- Either can occur but not at the same site i.e. a fragment will not develop into a cyst
What are the risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis in the young horse?
- Hereditary and anatomic factors most important
- Also exercise and diet
Explain how cartilage vessel necrosis leading to focal ischaemia of the cartilage at the chondro-osseus junction may occur in the horse
- Faulty joint conformation leading to increased mechanical stress to this area during the period where vessels are present
- Trauma not thought to be major aetiological factor but cntributes to progression
What are the predilection sites for osteochondrosis in horses? Specify OCD or cystic where appropriate
- Femoropatellar joint (medial and lateral (OCD) femoral trochlear ridges, lateral facet of patella), medial femoral condyle (cystic)
- Tarsocrural/tibiotarsal joint (distal intermediate ridge of tibia, medial malleolus of tibia, lateral and medial trochlear ridges of talus)
- Fetlock joint (midsagittal ridge of MC/MC III, condyles of MC/MT III)
- Shoulder, elbow hip
Outline the clinical signs of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in the horse
- Joint effusion
- Varying degrees of lameness
- Onset may be associated with exercise
Compare the degrees of lameness seen in osteochondrosis/itis/OCD depending on site and lesion type in the horse
- Overt lameness if subchondral bone involved +/- synovitis
- Lame if OCD of stifle, less/not lame if in tarsus
- Subtle lameness if subchondral bone cyst
Outline the radiographic signs of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in the horse
- If signs present, permanent lesion
- Subchondral bone flatter, irregular contour, lucencies
- +/- Intraarticular fragments
- +/- subchondral bone cysts
- NB may not see cartilage fragments that have not yet ossified
What factors influence the treatment of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in the horse?
- Age (if in hock, may disappear up to 5months old, if in stifle may disappear up to 8-9 mo)
- Site and severity of the lesion
- Proposed/current career
- Financial constraints
Outline conservative management of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in the foal
- Box/small paddock rest 6-90d
- Correct dietary imbalances
- reduce dietary energy intake
Outline the surgical management of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in foals
- Wait until 12-18mo before surgery except where there is a huge amount of effusion that will stretch joint capsule
- Removal of fragments, debride abnormal tissue
Outline the treatment options for subchondral bone cysts in foals
- Consservative: rest +/- NSAIDS or intraarticular corticosteroids
- Intra-lesional corticosteroids
- Arthroscopic debridement
- Intralesional implantation with allogenic chondrocytes and IGF1
- Screw in centre of condyle that goes through cyst to aid filling of cyst with bone
Discuss the prognosis for osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in foals
- Depends on age, site, severity, treatment opted for, intensity of athletic career
- Can be excellent (full athletic potential)to poor (persistent lameness/osteoarthritis)
- Prognosis best for hock, ok for stifle
Discuss the prevention of osteochondrosis/itis/OCD in foals
- Do not breed from affected animals, or those whose progeny show a high incidence
- Balanced and adequate nutrition for pregnant mares, foals and weanlings
- Keep foals on pasture during growing period
What is physeal dysplasia in young horses?
- Acquired developmental orthopaedic condition
- Enlargement of physis +/- metaphysis during growth period