Clinical and scintigraphic findings in horses with a bone fragility disorder: 16 cases (1980-2006).

Objective: To describe clinical and scintigraphic abnormalities in horses with a bone fragility disorder.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 16 horses with scintigraphic evidence of multiple sites of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake (IRU).

Disorders of the infraspinatus tendon and bursa in three horses.

Case Description: 3 horses with penetrating wounds to the shoulder area were examined because of forelimb lameness.

Clinical Findings: All horses had physical examination findings (decreased cranial phase of the stride, swelling in the shoulder region, and signs of pain on manipulation of the shoulder) that were suggestive of problems in the upper portion of the forelimb. Injury to the biceps tendon or bursa was the primary differential diagnosis in each instance, but no abnormalities involving those structures were found.