Objective, longitudinal computed tomographic evaluation of the metacarpal condyles in non‐lame Thoroughbred racehorses
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: 2024 were reviewed.Horses were included if they had lameness that had been localised to the imaged region and were used primarily for polo.The majority of the cases were from professional teams.Data collection: Imaging reports written by board-certified specialists in surgery or diagnostic imaging experienced in the interpretation of low-field MRI images were reviewed.Details of the primary diagnosis were collected in each case.Clinical observations: Forty-six horses met the inclusion criteria with a total of 77 regions imaged (foot (36), pastern (16), metacarpophalangeal region (15), metatarsophalangeal region (2), proximal metatarsus (5) and tarsus (3)).In 28 horses, osseous structures were considered the primary site of pathology; in 15 horses, soft tissue injuries were considered the primary site of pathology; and in two horses, both osseous and soft tissue injuries were considered primary causes of lameness.In one horse, no abnormalities were found.Where pathology was present, it was graded severe in 12 horses, moderate in 29 horses and mild in four horses.The most common osseous pathology in the foot was navicular bone oedema (14).The most common soft tissue pathology was collateral ligament desmopathy of the distal interphalangeal joint (8).Palmar osteochondral disease was the most common finding in the metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal regions.Osteoarthrosis of the tarsometatarsal joint was the most common finding in the tarsus, with suspensory ligament injury being the most common soft tissue lesion in the tarsal region.Most horses were found to have moderate or severe pathology, with osseous structures most commonly affected.Limitations: The retrospective design and low patient numbers are the main limitations of the study.There may be some bias, in that more valuable ponies may be more likely to undergo advanced imaging than less valuable animals.Conclusions: The combination of soft tissue and osseous injuries found is consistent with the type of work typical of polo ponies.Stress-related bone injuries such as palmar osteochondral disease reflect repetitive work at speed, whereas moderate to severe soft tissue injuries are consistent with twisting or turning manoeuvres.These data serve as a useful baseline for the types of injuries seen in polo ponies undergoing MRI, and may be useful to direct treatment in cases where advanced imaging is not available.Further work is required to extrapolate these results to a larger population of polo ponies.
Source: Equine Veterinary Journal
DOI: 10.1111/evj.70055
Language: English
Subfield: Equine
Field: Veterinary
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4414041992