lameness Flashcards
what structures does the impar ligament connect to?
navicular bone, P3
Lameness exam includes what components
- history and distance evaluation
- physical exam including palpation
- observe in motion > in hand, on longe line, and/or under tack
- manipulative tests > flexion tests, valgus/varus stress, wedge, etc.
- diagnostic analgesia > perineural, intrasynovial, regional infiltration
- diagnostic imaging
quarter horses breed lameness dispositions:
Foot, pastern, tendon & hock disease
Warmblood breed lameness dispositions
Foot, fetlock, tendon & hock disease
thoroughbred breed lameness predispositions
Fetlock & carpus stress fx, tendon issues
predisposing causes of lameness aside from breed
- Poor shoeing (increases forces on certain areas)
- Hard, uneven, slippery or deep footing
- Repetitive stress: > Landing from jump, Sharp turns
visual / distance exam - what are we looking for?
1) Fetlock angles - same vs different?
2) Hoof angles same vs different?
3) hoof wall deformation?
4) hoof sizes?
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- Assess balance/symmetry, posture, & limb angles & lengths
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Conformation
Broken back hoof pastern axis is an issue because…
focuses abnormal forces on joint surfaces
what is ‘bog spavin’?
Bog spavin is a swelling of the tibiotarsal joint of the horse’s hock
> excess synovial fluid or tissue, indicates underlying pathology
Patterns of Atrophy are often highly diagnostic
- shoulder muscle atrophy hints at what?
- In young horses from chronic joint pain (Osteochondrosis).
- In any age from traumatic Suprascapular N. controlling the supra- and infraspinatus M.)
we want to palpate which structures on the foot?
- which are weight bearing vs non-weight bearing?
Weight-bearing:
* Coronary band
* hoof wall - warmth, parallel horn tubular arrangement, defects
* Digital pulses
* Heel bulbs > symmetry
* DDFT & sheath
* Collateral cartilages
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Non-weight-bearing:
* Sole
* Frog
* White line
where should i not use the hoof tester?
Do not place on coronary band- will get pain response
how to palpate a horse limb? what are we looking for?
palpate the limb all the way from the feet to the shoulder/rump (do same order every time so nothing is forgotten)
- direct heat, swelling, pain, crepitus
- filling (distension) of joints or tendon sheaths
- scars, open spots, bone proliferation (press on it - pain?)
what structures aside from the leg should we palpate in a lameness exam?
- Palpate neck and back/epaxials - for pain
- Press on the sacroiliac region horse-if painful should repsond (esp if history cant hold canter leads, rider?)
how to visualize horse in motion - what should we look at?
- Straight line > Hard ground, Soft ground
- Tight circles
- Longing
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Pelvic hike, pelvic drop - look at tuber coaxe- look for changes in height
- See side of lameness- larger changes in height
- When sound side WB- pelvis drops on the lame side
- When the lame leg is WB- plevic rises
- There will be greater drop/rise on lame side
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Forelimb lame - HEAD NOD
- NWB head up, lame down
- Sound limb WB- head down
- Lame limb WB- head up