One of the most common calls an ambulatory equine practitioner receives is that from a panicked owner whose horse becomes three-legged lame seemingly overnight, said Ryan Penno, DVM, a practitioner at The Equine Clinic at Oakencroft, in Ravana, N.Y. Whether the cause is a simple abscess or a complex fracture, Penno described how to manage acute-onset, non-weight-bearing lameness cases during his presentation at the 2012 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Anaheim, Calif.

Veterinarians regularly encounter the most common causes of such lameness–penetrating hoof injuries, subsolar hoof abscesses, cellulitis, laminitis, fractures, and soft tissue injuries–so they must feel comfortable diagnosing and treating them, said Penno.

Examination

Severe lameness cases often present as a Grade 4 ("obvious lameness with a marked nodding, hitching, or shortened stride") or 5 ("lameness produces minimal weight-bearing in motion and/or at rest, or a complete inability to move") lameness on the AAEP’s five-point scale, he said