Hindlimb lameness - static exam

Question 1

Distant examination - from side

Answer 1

§ Standing square
§ Both sides
§ Conformation
– hock flexural conformation
– back conformation
– distal limb flexural conformation
§ Asymmetry
§ Muscle wastage
§ Swelling

Question 2

Distant examination - from behind

Answer 2

• pelvis
• angular conformation of limbs
• need to be standing square
• look at the symmetry of the gluteal muscles - look at the silhouettes - are they the same?
• look at the bones (the tuber sacrum, tuber coax and tube ischia) on both sides

Question 3

What to look for on palpation

Answer 3

signs of inflammation:
- heat
- pain
- swelling

Question 4

Palpation

Answer 4

• Start at the neck - palpate down the sides of the neck (the bones and muscles) - not able to feel specific joints so just feeling for swellings, areas of pain or heat.
• Back - feeling size and shape of muscles, running hands either side of the spine, pain on pressing?
• Can run hands under abdomen to see if they lift their back up.
• Pressing down on the tuber sacrum can elicit pain in the sacroiliac area.
• Palpate over the gluteals
• Palpate over the coxo-femoral joint.
• Palpate on and under the tail, lift it up.
• Palpate the femur area and thigh - hard to feel signs of heat, pain and swelling.

Question 5

Palpation of the stifle

Answer 5

• Can palpate the femoral-patellar joint and the medial femoral-tibial joint.
• The lateral femoral-tibial joint will be harder to palpate.
  – May find a swelling if it’s obvious coming down the tibia.
• Stand forwards towards the horses shoulder and palpate backwards.
• Can be ticklish.

Question 6

Palpation of the hock

Answer 6

• Useful to go to the other side
• Can find effusion in the tibiotarsal joint - does most of the bending
• Lower down the leg may find bony abnormalities over the top of the distal tarsal joints in terms of distal tarsal arthritis.

Question 7

Bog spavin

Answer 7

• large effusion of the tibiotarsal joint

Question 8

Bone spavin

Answer 8

• bony swelling on the medial/lateral aspect of the hock at the level of the distal inter tarsal joint and tarsal metatarsal joint (called the seat of Spavin)
• indicates arthritis in the distal tarsal joints

Question 9

How to tell the difference between a fetlock effusion in the plantar pouch and a digital flexor tendon sheath effusion

Answer 9

Is the swelling dorsal or plantar to the suspensory branch?

DFTS effusion = plantar to the suspensory branch.

Fetlock effusion in the plantar pouch = between the cannon bone and the suspensory branch (tells us the swelling is in the fetlock joint

Question 10

Limb elevation

Answer 10

• Lifting both hind legs can tell you if a horse is particularly unhappy about having it’s leg elevated
• Shows if the joints have a stiff range of motion
  – because of the reciprocal apparatus the hock and the stifle move together, so it can be difficult to differentiate between the two

Question 11

Hoof exam

Answer 11

• Hoof testers
• Look at it
• Pinching of heel bulbs
• Cracks
• Thrush between foot clefts in the heel area.
• Squared off toe

Question 12

What does a squared off toe indicate?

Answer 12

• either of the hoof or the shoe indicates they’ve been dragging the foot along the ground

Question 13

Kyphosis

Answer 13

= roach back
- very straight back
- excessive flexion of the thoracolumbar spine

Question 14

Lordosis

Answer 14

= sway back
- large dip in the thoracolumbar spine

Question 15

Varus vs valgus deformity of the hocks

Answer 15

Varus
= bow legged
- inward deviation of the limb

Valgus
= cow hocked
- outward deviation of the limb