Lameness

Question 1

what is lameness?

Answer 1

an alteration to the gait

a structural or functional disorder of the locomotor system

Question 2

How is it measured?

Answer 2

0-10 scale: 0-sound, 10-non weight bearing

Question 3

How is the dyson scale measured?

Answer 3

0-8 scale: 0-sound, 2-mild, etc

Question 4

what are the causes?

Answer 4

degenerative osteoarthritis
developmental osteochondrosis
metabolic laminitis
overload of a structure
abscess, wound
inflammation
trauma

Question 5

How to evaluate lameness

Answer 5

medical review
appraisal of horse at rest and palpation
hands on exam
hoof testers
horse in motion- trot up
flexion test
nerve blocking 
imaging

Question 6

How is conformation a factor causing?

Answer 6

Balance- essential for movement
Correctness- soundness and cleanliness
Way of going- how the horse moves
muscling- quantity and quality
type- breed and ideal for the breed

Fore/Hindlegs evaluated for straightness, muscling

Pelvis & coup evaluated for length and symmetry

Question 7

What is an ideal topline?

Answer 7

Shorter than the underline of the horse

long topline = weak back

Question 8

Ideal shoulder?

Answer 8

45 degrees
crucial in conformation
determines stride length

Question 9

Ideal Hips?

Answer 9

strong hips
disciplines require power from behind the horse
45 degrees
too straight = limited movement

Question 10

Motion evaluation

Answer 10

straight line
circle- emphasises lameness
even surface
hard and soft ground
trot up
walk up

Question 11

Forelimb lameness

Answer 11

head raises above normal position

Question 12

Hindlimb lameness

Answer 12

difficult to diagnose

more vertical motion in the hip of affected leg

Question 13

How is palpation used to diagnose?

Answer 13

heat/swelling
check for pain response
check for hardness, softness, fluidity

Question 14

What is a flexion test?

Answer 14

provocation testing where the patient is exposed to a stimulus to provoke a response

limb is flexed and manipulated and then moved to see lameness

fetlock- forelimb
pastern- hindlimb

Question 15

What is nerve blocking?

Answer 15

injecting local anaesthesia into nerves 
disrupts function 
numbs below injection site
if pain is in this area lameness will disappear
work from lowest nerve and work up

Question 16

What is joint blocking?

Answer 16

injecting local anaesthesia into a joint

if pain is in the area lameness will disappear

Question 17

Which imaging tests can be used?

Answer 17

ultrasound
radiography
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
nuclear scintigraphy
computerised tomography (CT)

Question 18

What is nuclear scintigraphy?

Answer 18

i/v injection of radioisotope

damaged bone/inflammation areas-increased isotope taken up

bone scanning- detects hairline fractures and subtle issues

gamma camera detecting gamma rays from isotope

non-invasive

horses must be hospitalised for 48hrs post injection as radioactive excretions come from the body (H&S)