Then, you have more dramatic demands involved in jumping or twisting activities such as barrel racing or other events such as calf roping and such. In addition, the stifle-sore horse may exhibit common performance issues, such as stiffness, resistance to bending or picking up a particular lead, discomfort or unwillingness to go up or down hills, and drifting to one side when jumping. A very gradual return to exercise, when tolerated, is recommended. Contenda competed at the top level in eventing…, Horse breeding from planning through foal care, Horse-health-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, Design and maintain a healthy horse operation, Prevention and treatment for problems of the equine foot, How to care for the basic health needs of horses, Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leg lameness, Proper feeding practices for foals, adult horses, and older horses, All aspects of caring for performance horses, News and issues for equine health professionals, Discussions about the welfare of our equine friends, Florida’s Fourth Human West Nile Virus Case Confirmed, West Nile Virus Identified in Illinois in Birds. They stand with a characteristic crouched posture in the affected hind limb.". The last falls into the category of acquired disorders—those caused by things like trauma, and general wear and tear. "Injuries with an inflammatory component may respond to intra-articular medication. Horses with partial luxation fare better than ones with more serious complaints. http://ker.com/equinenews/laminitis-new-research-milk-thistle-silymarin/, Stress and regular acupuncture Most of my success over the last 10 years of applying acupuncture to horses has occurred with my regular clients, where I visit their stable on a fortnightly or [...], Take a look at this horse having electro acupuncture locally on a contracted deep gluteal muscle.
Locked stifle is common in growing horses and often goes away once their muscles are fully developed. Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with, We have an "AMAZING Lineup" of exciting and available Thoroughbreds for you to meet. To compensate for stifle pain, horses will often change the flight pattern of the entire limb. The hocks are a key part of your horse’s hind quarters driving mechanism.
Reduced joint stress due to balancing the muscle tone and it’s effect on the stifle. She's schooled in hunt seat, dressage, and Western pleasure. There may also be a genetic component, although that connection is still under debate. Radiographic views are essential to identify some of these conditions.
His focus is surgery and lameness.
For a horse who doesn’t respond to this approach, treatment may advanceto one of several options, including: • surgical debridement of the cyst, although this tactic is not typically used today, since it presents a risk of the cyst enlarging after surgery, says Dr. MacDonald. Other contributing factors may include a long toe–low heel hoof conformation, or deformations of the related bones and ligaments. WEAK STIFLE MUSCLES IN HORSES: PART 1: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND SOLUTIONS – BY ANN RAMSEY, BS, CERA, APF-I . Prolonged pain in the hind limb can stress the sacroilliac joint as well, adding yet another layer.
With normal hind limb movement, the femoropatellar joint moves in unison with the femorotibial joint.". David MacDonald, DVM, MVSc, ACVS, has been a staff surgeon at Pioneer Equine Hospital in Oakdale, Calif., since 2000. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Peroni cites one study where restricted activity for three to six months yielded success in about 50% of cases when OCD was detected early in weanlings. Cruciate tears, meniscus tears, and meniscal ligament tears can be partial or complete, and can result from a kick or high-speed exercise including jumping and racing. Fractures in which fragments are not displaced might heal with rest; fractures that are more serious require surgical treatment that can involve fixation with screws and plates, says Martinelli. The diagnostic process requires a complete physical and lameness examination that might include palpation of the stifle, observation of the horse in-hand and under saddle, imaging, flexion tests, and intra-articular (within the joint) anesthesia to localize the lameness. \"The lameness and swelling may become extremely obvious with continued exercise, but decrease when exercise activities are reduced.\" Developmental disorders inclu… Once any such damage is done, lameness is likely to be apparent – due to the pain and inflammation. This gives horses some discomfort although Veterinary opinion says that there is little or no pain associated with it. When they do occur, he says, “They can be either minor, usually incidental to another issue.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news about your horse's health with FREE newsletters from TheHorse.com.
The stifle is similar to the human knee.
However, there is usually a great deal of improvement from debriding the lesion.
Healthy cells are the foundation for general health. It’s complex nature makes it susceptible to a wide range of injuries which can all be a cause of hind limb lameness. Although lameness may present in-hand or on the longe line, it is often easiest to see while the horse is being ridden. Certain red flags are more likely to specifically indicate stifle trouble, including: • difficulty picking up the correct lead behind, • trouble riding a transition from trot to canter or from canter to trot on a particular lead, • a hitch or hesitation in the horse’s gait, “You’ll typically see the problem appear on the outside of the circle,” Dr. MacDonald notes. A surgical procedure of splitting of the medial patellar ligament might induce thickening and stretching of the ligament.
", Patellar luxation is a congenital condition in which the patella (kneecap) becomes dislocated. Natural Disaster: Are You and Your Horse Ready for Emergency Evacuation?
Stifle problems arise …
More common 15 or so years ago, it’s still done in some cases that don’t respond to conservative treatment, says Dr. MacDonald. Stay up-to-date on the latest news about your horse's health with FREE newsletters from TheHorse.com. Veterinarians picked up this technique about 12 years ago from research in human medicine. https://aaep.org/horsehealth/veterinary-acupuncture-and-chiropractic-what-when-who, May have an on-again off-again or intermittent lameness.
Tight turns and small circles are pressure points to the hock, which can apply a twisting force causing pain or soreness. Mild to acute lameness in the hind limb would be the most obvious symptom, but by the time this is present joint dysfunction has been ongoing for some time. "There are also two strong collateral ligaments supporting the joint on either side of the leg," she continues.
Their primary role is in "The lesion occurs in older performance horses (usually large sport horse types) and appears to be traumatic in nature," states Martinelli. Treatment consists of addressing primary causes and reducing pain. "The lesion is present in the medial condyle of the femur and usually presents as a shortened cranial (towards the head) phase to the stride, especially when the limb is on the outside of the circle. Subtle cases will respond to anti-inflammatory drugs, changes in shoeing/trimming, and a progressive strengthening program for the quadriceps muscles.