Lameness (equine)

Lameness in horses and other equidae is a term used to refer to any number of conditions where the animal fails to travel in a regular and sound manner on all four feet. There are many causes of lameness, but they can be broadly grouped into the following categories:

• Laminitis or other inflammatory diseases of the hoof
• Injury to bone, muscle, tendons or ligaments, ranging from pulled muscles to broken bones.
• Complications of inflammation or stocking up related to overwork
• Injury induced by compensation for strain or pain in other parts of the body, particularly the back
• Neurological disorders, such as Wobbler's syndrome
• Swelling and inflammation linked to infection, such as cellulitis or thrush.
• Hoof problems, including injury, disease and poor farrier work
• Diseases affecting connective tissue, such as Equine Exertional Rhabdomyolysis and HYPP
• Conformation defect leading to stress or injury, such as cow-hocked or sickle-hocked conformation.

See also: Category: Equine injury and lameness

Diagnosing and treating lameness

Lameness severity is typically evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with higher numbers indicating a more significant degree of impairment. A 1 rating suggests a horse with a minor gait deficit, a 5 is "broken-legged" lame, indicating that the horse will not put weight on the affected leg. Initial assessment may include a visual check for outward injuries such as cuts or swelling, observation of a horse as it travels at different gaits, particularly the walk and trot. Flexion tests may also be performed, and hooves will be checked for signs of injury.

After the initial assessment, a typical procedure is to perform regional limb anesthesia (nerve blocks) to help to pinpoint the area affected. Once the causative area is determined, then radiographs or ultrasound are performed to determine which particular structures are involved. More advanced imaging techniques include scintigraphy, computed tomography, and MRI.

Treatment varies depending on the condition diagnosed, but at a minimum includes rest, appropriate medication and other supportive therapies. Consultation with a veterinarian is generally recommended, even for mild cases, as some types of mild lameness may worsen if not properly diagnosed and treated.

An important component of an equine prepurchase exam is a thorough lameness examination to rule out existing unsoundness.

Types of lameness

There are dozens of different types of lameness in horses. In addition, many conditions sometimes, though not always, have lameness as a symptom. Finally, there are a number of permanent blemishes that indicate that a horse has been lame in the past or has been subjected to strain that may lead to lameness in the future. These assorted conditions include:

• Bog spavin
• Bone spavin
• Bowed tendon
• Curb
• Laminitis
• Navicular Disease
• Osselets
• Ringbone
• Sesamoiditis
• Shoe boil, usually a blemish after the acute period
• Sidebone
• Splints, usually a blemish after the acute period
• Stringhalt
• Windpuffs

See also

• Equine conformation
• Skeletal system of the horse
• Equine anatomy
• Horse hoof
• Horse care
• Flexion test
• Equine prepurchase exam

References

• Giffen, James M. and Tom Gore. Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook., 2nd ed. New York:Howell Book House, 1989, 1998. ISBN 0876056060
• King, Christine, BVSc, MACVSc, and Mansmann, Richard, VDM, PhD. Equine Lameness. Equine Research, Inc. 1997.