b'OA: EARLY INTERVENTIONHEALTHY JOINT ARTHRITIC JOINTOther subtle indicators she says owners should be aware of include: Thickened, Stiffness that might improve withinflamed work; synovialReduced range of motion of joints; membraneHeat and swelling; (joint capsuleBehavioral changes; and lining) with increasedChanges in posture. joint fluid.It is important to give the horse the benefit of the doubt if hes having behav- Bone spur, ioral problems, says Moretta. Difficulta cause of or naughty behavior might be a sign ofarticular physical discomfort. Also, often, limita- cartilage deg-tions in the horses athletic ability areThin, erodedradation and labeled as poor performance and mayCartilage erosionarticulardestructionDR. ROBIN PETERSONnot be recognized as early lameness, shewith bone cyst cartilagesays. While not specific to osteoarthri-tis, these behavioral signs may indicate subtle pain issues.the axial skeleton (vertebral column),the horses preferred or compensatory Examining the Whole Horse tendons, ligaments, joints, and associatedmovement patterns. These include stride When performing a comprehensivemuscles. length, straightness, head/neck/back/evaluation of a horse thats not quiteOur approach is very much integra- hip movement, adduction or abduction right, Moretta first collects a completetive, so we look at the whole horse, says(movement toward or away from the history, including what issues the clientMoretta. First, Ill notice how the horsemidline) of the limbs, and overall symme-has noticed, and discusses the horsesis standing and then evaluate movementtry. I utilize motion palpation (part of the occupation and the owners goals. Fromat the walk from multiple angles and onspinal manipulation exam) to evaluate there, her complete assessment involvesdiffering surfaces. We want to analyzeall the joints in the body, focusing on the limbs and complete spine.Your veterinarian might useThe whole-horse exam is also good for motion palpation to evaluate alldetermining which problems are primary the joints in your horses body. and which are secondary, she says. In ad-dition, checking diagnostic acupuncture points can be very helpful.Oakley believes owners and veterinar-ians often overlook muscles, posture, and movement patterns when evaluating these horses. We want to identify areas of decreased (restricted) or increased (hypermobile) joint motion, she says. It is important to treat these affected joints early to reduce inflammation and mini-mize joint damage. We need an accurate diagnosis to be able to manage pain and to prevent further injury. Generally, Ill start my exam on the opposite corner from the lame leg, going over the entire horse, she continues. We look at where the clues lead us. Is the horse painful on flexion tests? Is the movement exam abnormal? We let the exam guide our imaging. X rays are the first step, providing information about the bone. A combination of X ray and ultra-sound can be extremely helpful in many BIANCA MCCARTYcases, especially in the stifles and neck.For instance, ultrasound provides information about the soft tissue and 16January 2020The Horse|TheHorse.comOsteoarthritis USE.indd 16 12/4/19 10:28 AM'