Equine tendon and ligament disease Flashcards
Name 2 types of tendon injury
- percutaneous: laceration/ penetration
- subcutaneous - strain, displacement
Causes of over-strain injury
- sudden over-extension (DDFT?)
- preceding tendon degeneration with superimposed sudden over-extension (SDFT, SL)
Dx - tendon injry
- Hx (usually preceding intense period of exercise, signs can be delayed)
- CE - lameness (can be temporary, can persist for some tendon/ligament injuries)
- Stance/ gait - MCPJ extension (decreased with reduced weight bearing / pain and fibrosed/ stiff tendon. increased with severe SDFT/SL injuries. Elevating toe - DDFT rupture
What is a pathognomic sign for DDFT rupture?
toe elevation
How should you palpate the limb? 2
- weight bearing
- limb lifted
Which areas are difficult to palpate? 2
- proximal SL in HL
- pastern
What to assess on palpation? 3
- pain
- tendon suppleness
- oedema
What is the role of ultrasound?
- DIAGNOSIS
- SEVERITY ASSESSMENT: 7 d after injury, prognosis
What ultrasound equipment is used to examine the leg?
7.5 MHz (high frequency) + linear transducer
Describe SDFT tendinopathy
- palmar metacarpal swelling
- initial lameness (variable)
- pain on palpation
- ‘core’ lesion on ultrasound
Hx - suspensory ligament desmitis/ proximal suspensory desmitis
- HX: lameness variable in degree, acute or insidious
- CS: conformation (HL) is straight hock adn overextending MTP joint
CS - proximal suspensory disease
- Lameness (often lamer with limb on outside of circle, proximal MC/MT swelling is variable and with medial palmar vein distension, pain on palpation vs normal)
- diagnostic analgesia
- diagnostic imaging (US, xray, gamma-scintigraphy, MRI)
Suspensory body and branch desmitis:
- CS
- Ultrasound
- Radiograph
- CS: variable lameness
- ULTRASOUND: branches need imaging from medial and lateral aspects, focal or generalised lesions, enlargement, periligamentar fibrosis very common, bilateral involvement common
- RADIOGRAPH: concurrent bony abnormalities
Define ALDDFT
Accessory Ligament of the DDFT (= ‘accessory check ligament’)
CS - desmitis of the ALDDT (‘inferior check ligament’)
- swelling in proximal MC region, mostly lateral
- dorsal to SDFT
- lameness variable (often absent)
Ultrasound - desmitis of the ALDDT (‘inferior check ligament’)
- generalised enlargement
What happens in DDFT tendinopathy?
- usually within digital sheath or navicular bursa (never in MC region?)
- mid-substance disruption vs. border tears
- e.g. intra-thecal tendon tears
What is the manica flexoria?
part of the SDFT that wraps around the DDFT at the fetlock joint. Function is to maintain tendon alignment within DFTS.
Examples of intra-thecal tendon tears
- DDFT (usually lateral border for tear, TL)
- Manica flexoria (usually HL)
Ultrasound diagnosis: intra-thecal tendon tears
- difficult
- lateral or medial echogenic material
- MF instability in longitudinal view