Lameness and Disease

Lameness

Deviation from normal posture or gait due to pain or mechanical dysfunction. Symptom of condition or disease

Lesion

Pathlogical or traumatic discontinuity of tissue or loss of function

Pathology

Structural and functional manifestations of disease

Blemish

Observable abnormality, does not interfere with the intended use of horse. Cosmetic

Sound

Excellent/perfect health

Serviceable sound

No abnormality exists at the time that interferes with the intended use of the horse

Unsound

Deviation from the norm that may or may not interfere with the intended use. Possible could predispose or be a pathological condition

Lame

Deviation from the ideal, due to pain or mechanical dysfunction. Sign of pathological condition

Acute

Short-term, severe, characterized by pain, heat, swelling

Chronic

Long-standing, less severe than acute, may follow acute, often recurring.

Congenital condition

Acquired during development in the womb, includes hereditary

Hereditary condition

Acquired at conception from genetic material of parents

Obel lameness levels

Levels of lameness from 1-5 based on observability and pain of the horse. Starts at 1 assuming an issue. AFA starts at 0 for sound

Level 1

Difficult to observe, not consistently apparent

Level 2

Difficult to observe at walk or trot in straight line. Consistently apparent under special circumstances.

Level 3

Consistently apparent at all circumstances

Level 4

Obvious lameness, head nodding, shortened stride.

Level 5

Minimal weight bearing, motion or rest, inability to move

Average vitals of the horse

Resting rate - 44 bpm

Temp - 99-101F 38C

Feces - every 3 hours

Urine - every 6 hours

Hoof abscess

Infection of sensitive tissue in the dermal and epidermal layers of the hoof and foot. Caused by puncture or trapped bacteria that produces heat, swelling, lameness, and eventually pus drainage. Can rupture near coronary band or sole due to inflexible hoof wall. Coronary band rupture is more likely if abscess is forward of duckett’s dot (toward toe)

Hoof growth rate (mm)

Foal- 15mm per month

Mature horse- 9mm Per month

Growth plate closure rates

P2 close at 3 months

P1 closes at 6 months

M3 close at 9 months

Radial closes at 24 months

Osteochondrosis

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) joint disease

Physitis

Growth plate disease, inflammation. May be involved with flexural disease and club foot

Angular Limb Deformities

Valgus or varsus

Flexural limb deformities

hyper-flexion, hyper-extension, escessive tension or laxity

Axial limb deformity

The bones do not line up at the joints

Rotational deformity

Can effect the digit, leg, or entire limb

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

Failure of endrochondral (young cartilage) ossification. May be at the Physis, the Epiphysis or at the Cuboidal bones of the Carpus or Tarsis. Caused by nutrition, heredity, exercise, or trauma

Valgus

inward break of the axis

Varus

outward break of the axis