Prevalence of radiographic findings in candidate sires (2001-2008)

Radiographic screening of horses prior to purchase or admission to studbooks has become an important tool for evaluating the osteo-articular status of the animals. Developmental orthopedic disorders (DOD) are the main cause of potential lameness in youngsters. The genetic factor associated with DOD has been established, and specific selection schemes have been developed to diminish the prevalence of lesions. Increasing knowledge of prevalence in different breeds may help in developing specific breeding strategies. This article presents the results of the radiographic screening of 676 stallions presented for sire admission to the Royal Belgian Sports Horse Society (Studbook sBs). On average, two radiographic findings were noted per horse. The prevalence of DOD in this population was 38.9%. A high percentage of horses showed radiographic signs of effusion of the distal interphalangeal joint. An uncommon fragment location at the proximal tubercle of the talus was found in 7 horses. The present paper presents a review and discussion of all the radiographic findings

Colonic Health in Hospitalized Horses Treated with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs - A Préliminary Study

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Prevalences of developmental orthopedic disease (DOD) in young horses bred in Belgium and in Sardina. Radiographic screening

"\"To determine prevalences of DOD and joints more affected, by the detection of radiographic signs, in two. groups of young horses, bred in different breeding conditions: Belgium and Sardinia.. Two groups of horses were considered. The belgian group, 676 stallions, aged 3.27 ± 2.04 years, weighting. 530 ± 41.09 kg, presented for admission to the \"Royal Belgian Sports Horse Society\". The sardinian group,. 24 horses, aged 3.75 ± 1.35 years, weighting 420 ± 40.5 Kg, presented for pre purchase examinations. In the. belgian group, official report of the lectures was established by agreement between two ECVDI radiologists.. In the sardinian group, final report was established by agreement between the veterinary practitioner and. an ECVDI radiologist. Radiographic images were recognised according to the classification described by. Denoix and were assigned a Radiographic Score (RS) of severity, where Abnormal Radiographic Images (ARI) had RS 2, 4 or 8, while Suspected Radiographic Images (SRI), had always RS 1 (1).. By Z‐test (P<0.05), for each joint in both groups of horses, prevalence of ARI and SRI, as well as prevalence. of the most detected DOD and RS were determined.. In the front foot, ARI plus SRI were found in 77.7% of the belgian group with RS 0.6 and in 95.8% of the. sardinian group with RS 1.2. Synovial distension of the dorsal recess of the distal interphalangeal joint was. found in 45% of the belgian group and in the 66% of the sardinian group.. In the fetlock, ARI plus SRI were detected in 51.4% of belgian group with RS 1.3 and in 83% of sardinian. group with RS 2.4. The most represented lesions were the irregularity of the proximal border of the sagittal. ridge of the McIII and MtIII in belgian group (16.1%) and remodeling of the proximal border of proximal. phalanx in sardinian group (37.5%).. In the hock, both in belgian and in sardinian group, only SRI were found, with prevalence of 22.3 in the first. and 8.3 in the second group, always with RS 1. Bony spur at the dorsoproximal margin of the MtIII was. detected in 8% of the belgian group while it was absent in the sardinian group.. At the stifle, only ARI were found in the belgian group, with prevalence of 8.4% and RS 5.6, while none ARI but only SRI were found in the sardinian group (12.5%) with RS 1.7. Osteochondrosis at the femoral. trochlear ridges without fragments was the lesion most detected in the belgian group (5%), while flattening. at the femoral trochlear ridges was detected in the sardinian group (12.5 %).. Higher prevalence of DOD at hock and stifle in the belgian group agreeds with literature (2,3) and it correlates with the greater weight of the horses of the belgian group. On the contrary, sardinian horses are. less affected by degenerative lesions, but more affected by lesions of traumatic origin at the front foot.\"