Diagnosing Hoof Lameness due to Multiple Causes (AAEP 2012)
Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
April 22, 2013
One vet said multiple abnormalities could contribute to hoof lameness, rather than just one problem.
One vet said multiple abnormalities could contribute to hoof lameness, rather than just one problem.
How a horse stands during X rays might influence how vets interpret images when diagnosing kissing spines.
How a horse is positioned while X rays are taken significantly affects joint balance, researchers say.
Research shows that various angles of the outer and inner hoof are linked to different kinds of lameness.
One vet says radiographs can help in assessing a horse’s feet and developing a plan to maximize soundness.
Regardless of the vast collection of new discoveries and technologies available, a veterinarian’s time-tested knowledge and experience are still what determine arrival at the best diagnosis and treatment outcome.
Researchers found that clinical signs of cannon bone fractures in sport horses and racehorses were similar.
Dr. Liberty Getman, a surgeon at Tennessee Equine Hospital, describes the differences between plain-film, computed, and digital radiographs (X ray) and shows how a veterinarian takes digital radiographs of a horse’s lower leg.
A panel will present radiographic images of joints and endoscopic videos of throats Thoroughbred yearlings.
Digital radiography is up to 85% sensitive and 93% specific for diagnosing enterolithiasis in horses.
The presentation, “Latest Technologies in Diagnosing Equine Lameness,” was led by Kent Allen, DVM.
Each imaging option, such as MRI, radiography and more, serves a unique role in equine lameness diagnosis.
Researchers found that MRI more accurately identified compression in CSM horses compared to radiographs.
Pinpointing lameness in horses is crucial before proper treatment can be prescribed. There are several approaches to lameness examinations and diagnostic methods, which will be partly determined by the age of the horse and what it does for living.
A recent study of coffin bone (distal phalanx) fractures in foals found they were far from rare. In fact, all 20 of the Warmblood foals in the study (all foals on a particular farm in one season) had fractures at some point in their first year of life.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Public Auction Task Force has developed recommendations regarding the use of radiographic reports as part of the prepurchase
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