Complications following diagnostic and therapeutic sacroiliac joint region injections in horses: A study describing clinicians' experiences.

Background: There are no detailed data on complications of sacroiliac (SI) joint region injections or on the variability of the methods and circumstances of injections among clinicians.

Objectives: To describe complications following diagnostic, therapeutic and combined SI joint region injections and the details of how these are routinely performed by a large number of clinicians.

Study Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

Gross post-mortem and histological features in 27 horses with confirmed lumbosacral region pain and five control horses: A descriptive cadaveric study.

Background: There is a lack of understanding of the pathological and/or physiological nature of lumbosacral region pain.

Objectives: To describe the gross variations of the osseous and soft tissues of the lumbosacral region and report the histological findings of sections of nerve tissue in affected and control horses.

Study Design: Descriptive post-mortem case series.

Sidewinder gait in horses.

Background: Sidewinder gait in horses is poorly understood and characterized by walking with the trunk and pelvic limbs drifting to 1 side.

Hypothesis/objectives: To report causes, clinical and diagnostic features.

Animals: Horses examined at 2 institutions.

BEVA primary care clinical guidelines: Wound management in the horse.

Background: There are currently no evidence summaries on wounds in the horse.

Objectives: To develop evidence-based guidelines on wound management in the horse.

Study Design: Evidence review using the GRADE framework.

Management of Primary Injuries of the Medial Collateral Ligament of the Carpus in Two Horses.

This case report describes the successful management of two horses with medial carpal collateral ligament injury. This is a rare cause of forelimb lameness and existing reports indicate a poor prognosis for return to athletic function with conservative management. Both horses were treated with a combination of box rest with controlled exercise and high-intensity laser therapy (HILT).

Alterations in body lean angle in lame horses before and after diagnostic analgesia in straight lines in hand and on the lunge.

Altered body lean has been subjectively observed during lungeing in lame horses. The objectives were to quantify the influence of lameness on body lean in trot on the lunge and to investigate the influence of improvement in lameness on the differences in body lean between reins. Thirteen lame horses were trotted in straight lines and lunged on a 10m-diameter circle on both reins before and after lameness was subjectively substantially improved by diagnostic analgesia.

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of skeletal scintigraphy for the causes of front foot pain determined by magnetic resonance imaging.

There is good correlation between increased radiopharmaceutical uptake anywhere in the feet of sports or leisure horses and the presence of foot pain. However, low sensitivity of scintigraphy for identifying lesions contributing to foot pain as determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been reported. The aim of this retrospective, cross-sectional, analytical study was to assess the accuracy of scintigraphy for identifying the cause(s) of foot pain, using MRI as the reference standard.

Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of skeletal scintigraphy in lame and poorly performing sports horses.

Skeletal scintigraphy is an established imaging modality, however, its validity as a diagnostic test in lame or poorly performing sports horses has not been determined. The objective of this retrospective cross-sectional analytical study was to determine the accuracy of skeletal scintigraphy as an indiscriminate screening test in sports horses. All sports horses that underwent scintigraphic examination between March 2008 and December 2014 for which a definitive diagnosis was reached were included.

Proximal suspensory desmopathy in hindlimbs: Magnetic resonance imaging, gross post-mortem and histological study.

Background: There have been no previous studies correlating high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings with gross and histological post-mortem examination in horses with hindlimb proximal suspensory desmopathy (PSD).

Objectives: To determine if adhesions between the suspensory ligament (SL) and adjacent tissues could be detected using high-field MRI and if collagen, adipose tissue and muscle pathology could be differentiated.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Alterations in thoracolumbosacral movement when pain causing lameness has been improved by diagnostic analgesia.

Lameness, thoracolumbosacral pain and reduced range of motion (ROM) often coexist; better understanding of their relationship is needed. The objectives were to determine if thoracolumbosacral movement of horses changes when pain causing lameness is improved by diagnostic analgesia. We hypothesised that reduction of lameness will increase ROM of the thoracolumbosacral region.

Veterinary problems of endurance horses in England and Wales.

Several studies have shown that a considerable proportion of horses are eliminated from endurance rides due to lameness and metabolic problems. Limited information is available on specific veterinary issues in endurance horses and there are no descriptive data on veterinary problems in a large population of endurance horses. The aim of this study was to describe veterinary problems occurring in endurance horses in England and Wales, the regions of the United Kingdom where endurance rides are organised and regulated by Endurance Great Britain (Endurance GB).

Thoracolumbar movement in sound horses trotting in straight lines in hand and on the lunge and the relationship with hind limb symmetry or asymmetry.

Equine movement symmetry is changed when turning, which may induce alterations in thoracolumbosacral kinematics; however, this has not previously been investigated. Our objectives were to document thoracolumbar movement in subjectively sound horses comparing straight lines with circles on both reins and to relate these observations to the objectively determined symmetry/asymmetry of hindlimb gait. Fourteen non-lame horses were assessed prospectively in a non-random, cross-sectional survey.

Comparison of limb kinematics between collected and lengthened (medium/extended) trot in two groups of dressage horses on two different surfaces.

Background: Dressage horses are often asked to work in lengthened paces during training and competition, but to date there is limited information about the biomechanics of dressage-specific paces. Preliminary work has shown increased fetlock extension in extended compared with collected paces, but further investigation of the kinematic differences between collected, medium and extended trot in dressage horses is warranted.

Objectives: Investigation of the effect of collected vs.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, GROSS POSTMORTEM, AND HISTOLOGICAL FINDINGS FOR SOFT TISSUES OF THE PLANTAR ASPECT OF THE TARSUS AND PROXIMAL METATARSAL REGION IN NON-LAME HORSES.

Injuries of the plantar soft tissues of the tarsus and proximal metatarsus can be a source of lameness in horses, however published information is lacking on high field MRI characteristics of these tissues. Objectives of the current anatomic study were to (1) describe high-field MRI features of the plantar tarsal and proximal metatarsal soft tissues; and (2) compare MRI findings with gross and histological appearances of selected structures for a sample of cadaver limbs from non-lame horses. Single hindlimbs for 42 horses, and right and left hindlimbs for eight horses were scanned using high-field MRI.

Body lean angle in sound dressage horses in-hand, on the lunge and ridden.

Animals can minimise the risk of falling by leaning into a curve. The aims of this study were: (1) to quantify the difference between observed (measured by an inertial measurement unit, IMU) and predicted body lean angle (calculated as a cyclist when turning) in horses; and (2) to compare circles versus straight lines ridden versus in-hand and trot with canter, and investigate the influence of age, rein and ridden work quality in trot (Fédération Equestre Internationale grading scale 1-10) in horses. Thirteen non-lame horses were assessed prospectively in a non-random, cross-sectional survey.

Can we use subchondral bone thickness on high-field magnetic resonance images to identify Thoroughbred racehorses at risk of catastrophic lateral condylar fracture?

Reasons For Performing Study: Fractures of the lateral condyle of the third metacarpus (MC3) are a significant welfare concern in horseracing worldwide.

Objectives: The primary aim of this work was to identify magnetic resonance (MR) image-detectable prefracture markers that have the potential for use as a screening tool to identify horses at significant risk of catastrophic fracture.

Study Design: Case-control study of bone-level risk factors for fracture in racehorses.

Proximal suspensory desmopathy in hindlimbs: A correlative clinical, ultrasonographic, gross post mortem and histological study.

Reasons For Performing Study: It has been suggested that ultrasonography is unreliable for the detection of hindlimb proximal suspensory desmopathy (PSD) based on comparisons between ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance images.

Objectives: To compare ultrasonography with gross and histopathological post mortem examination in horses with PSD diagnosed based on ultrasonography and control horses.

Study Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Saddles and girths: What is new?

Several studies have shown that there is a high prevalence of ill-fitting saddles. Many riders do not have saddle fit professionally assessed on at least an annual basis. Back dimensions can change considerably over the period of a year and therefore saddle fit should be assessed several times yearly, especially if work intensity has been altered.

Subjective analysis of exercise-induced changes in back dimensions of the horse: The influence of saddle-fit, rider skill and work quality.

Recommendations concerning saddle-fit are empirical rather than based on scientific information. A saddle needs to fit the horse in motion, but there has been no investigation of whether the thoracolumbar region changes in dimensions in association with exercise. The objectives of this study were to quantify exercise-induced back dimension changes and to describe the association with work quality, saddle-fit and rider skill.

The centrodistal joint interosseous ligament region in the tarsus of the horse: Normal appearance, abnormalities and possible association with other tarsal lesions, including osteoarthritis.

Reasons For Performing Study: There have been no detailed descriptions of the radiological appearance of the centrodistal joint interosseous ligament region in horses with and without distal tarsal joint pain.

Objectives: To describe the normal radiological appearance of the centrodistal joint interosseous ligament region; to determine the prevalence of mineralisation or ossification of the interosseous ligament; and to describe radiological abnormalities surrounding the interosseous space and concurrent radiological abnormalities in the tarsus. The association between interosseous ligament region abnormalities and radiological evidence of osteoarthritis of the centrodistal joint was assessed.

Is there an association between clinical features, response to diagnostic analgesia and radiological findings in horses with a magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of navicular disease or other injuries of the podotrochlear apparatus?

Previous descriptions of the clinical features of navicular disease occurred before the widespread use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allowed a more definitive diagnosis of foot pain. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical features of horses with lesions of the podotrochlear apparatus with those with other causes of foot pain. It was hypothesised that primary navicular bone disease would be associated with more advanced radiological findings than other diagnoses.

Effect of superficial harrowing on surface properties of sand with rubber and waxed-sand with fibre riding arena surfaces: a preliminary study.

A recent epidemiological study identified various aspects of arena surfaces and arena surface maintenance that were related to risk of injury in horses and that arena maintenance is important in reducing injury risk. However, there has been little research into how properties of arena surfaces change with harrowing. This study aimed to compare the properties of different arena surface types pre- and post-harrowing.