|  | Public Health Safety | Public Health

Suspensory Desmitis Risks

Proximal suspensory desmitis is a condition in horses that affects the metacarpal bones of both the forelimbs and the hind limbs. It is especially common among race horses, and the severity of the disease varies. The most common result is lameness. Many treatments are available, including stall rest, foot imbalance correction and surgical treatments such as neurectomy and fasciotomy.

  1. Cause

    • Horses can get injured over a period of time, and small tears in the ligament region are common. Due to the repetitive stress, the ligament tissue may be scarred. These injuries can happen in a single event, as in cases where the horses jump high fences. In such cases, there is more strain on the forelimb, and the risk of injury is higher for the elite-level show jumpers. Also, if a horse treads a wet, slippery path frequently, the tendon injuries become more frequent.

    Common Risk

    • The ligament injuries of suspensory desmitis cannot only be career-threatening but can also affect the life of the horse. The disease is most frightening because recovery can be long. Many times, suspensory desmitis can even be caused due to the genetics of the horse, which makes it difficult to prevent.

    The Facts

    • The injury is usually to the scar tissue in the ligament region, so there is the risk of repetitive occurrence of the injury because the scar tissue is not as strong. The disease can also be progressive, which makes it difficult for the horses to come back to their normal athletic ability. Only 20 to 40 percent of the horses that are affected with hind injuries return to work.

    Diagnosis

    • Veterinarians diagnose the horses by watching their gait. If needed, an ultrasound examination is done. High-quality images are required because the affected parts are too subtle to be detected easily. It is been recommended that evaluation of the affected limb and a non-affected one must be done before reaching a conclusion. Often, suspensory desmitis has been misdiagnosed for colic.

    Treatment

    • The common treatments given to these horses are stall rest and rehabilitation programs. If the horses are not responsive during rehabilitation, they may have to be retired. Correct diagnosis by a veterinarian is crucial for determining the extent of the injury. Veterinarians may give injections of corticosteroids. Surgical treatments are another alternative. The two main surgical treatments that have been developed are neurectomy and fasciotomy. The last option is to give bone marrow injections, which involves healing through the use of stem cells.

Public Health - Related Articles