Oakhill Veterinary Centre https://www.oakhill-vets.com/equine/osteoarthritis-in-the-adult-horse/ Export date: Sat Jul 27 5:45:03 2024 / +0000 GMT |
Osteoarthritis in the adult horse![]() Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of lameness in the adult horse. It is primarily a disease of the articular cartilage, a thin layer of protective material covering the surface of bones within joints, with progressive deterioration which can result in pain and inflammation.Whilst OA can be a significant source of pain, especially when the horse is being worked, this can often be controlled and horses are often able to continue being ridden and even competing if well controlled.There are many factors which may influence the development of OA in a horse- most commonly it is thought of as a wear and tear condition of older horses following years of hard work, but it can also develop suddenly in younger horses as a result of developmental joint disease (DJD), trauma or injury. Other compounding factors include conformation, weight and genetics. The diagnosis of OA is often made following a multimodal approach by your vet. This normally starts with a clinical examination, in which the vet will palpate and manipulate the limbs with the horse stood still, and then watch it move in a straight line and on a hard and soft lunge circle. Flexion tests are then often performed to increase the pressure on the joints and surrounding soft tissue structures. The next stage is usually nerve-blocking with local anaesthetic; this allows the area of pain to be identified by removing the sensation to different regions of the limb. A positive nerve block will often result in abolition of the lameness when the dynamic tests are repeated and an improvement in the horse's way of going. The local anaesthetic can either be placed under the skin next to a nerve (perineural) or into a joint (intra-articular). Following this, imaging of the joints is normally required with radiography (x-ray) the main technique used. This allows assessment of the bones of the joint including their density, shape and the space around them. Radiographic changes frequently observed with OA may include new bone formation or bone loss, reduction of joint space and irregular margins. Other imaging modalities include ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy and even magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 1, however these are more often used in unusual or complex cases of lameness originating from more than one source or in a horse not amenable or with inconclusive nerve blocking.![]() |
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Post date: 2019-04-16 14:55:21 Post date GMT: 2019-04-16 14:55:21 Post modified date: 2022-06-21 14:12:04 Post modified date GMT: 2022-06-21 13:12:04 |
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