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L AM E N E S S
3
EQUINE MATTERS
Veterinary Surgeon
Richard Parker
XLVets Equine Practice
Endell Veterinary
Group
E
very horse owner will at some point own a lame horse. In many cases the lameness may be mild and will disappear
by itself with nothing more than rest and time. In other cases, lameness will be more severe, or may persist - then it
will be time to call the vet. The aim of the veterinary examination is to investigate, diagnose and treat the cause of the
lameness. In some cases, the problem will be obvious and the investigation will be simple and straightforward; in
others, an extensive investigation, including nerve blocks and diagnostic imaging, may be required.
Lameness investigation
Richard Parker
MA VetMB CertEP CertES(Orth) MRCVS
Endell Veterinary Group
Lameness Examination
The investigation of lameness is a
lot like detective work. As the horse
cannot tell us where it hurts, the vet
must use a variety of methods in
order to determine the source of
the lameness.
Most of the time, lameness results from pain
in the musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons,
ligaments, bones, or joints) leading to
abnormal movement at the walk, trot, or
canter. Occasionally, lameness may arise due
to mechanical or neurological conditions such
as upward fixation of the patella or wobbler
syndrome. It is the vet’s task to assess a lame
horse in a systematic manner using a variety
of techniques in order to arrive at a diagnosis.
The comprehensive lameness examination
requires patience by you and your vet.
Challenging lameness cases may take several
days to investigate and are even more difficult
to evaluate once the lameness becomes
chronic. Horses, particularly those with chronic
problems may develop compensatory gait
abnormalities to deal with the primary problem.
This may complicate the lameness evaluation
and possibly its treatment.
in the horse
- what’s involved?
1. History
Typically, a thorough history will be
collected at the beginning of the lameness
examination. The age, breed and chosen
discipline of your horse may provide useful
clues to your vet before the investigation.
Information such as the time when
lameness was first noticed, whether it has
improved or deteriorated with rest or work
and whether the horse has ever suffered
lameness issues before also will be very
useful and may avoid unnecessary
diagnostic tests and save time.
Figure 1
Hoof testers being applied to a
horse’s foot
2. Physical examination
In addition to obtaining a detailed
history, your vet will perform a clinical
examination of your horse.
First, the horse may be viewed from a
distance and then close-up at rest. This
involves a critical look at your horse's
conformation and stance. The vet will often
examine your horse’s feet; hoof testers will
be applied to the feet (see Figure 1), and
the limbs and sometimes the back will be
palpated (felt), shown in Figure 2, for
presence of heat (warmth), pain, and
swelling. Assessing the back may be
important because poor performance or
obscure lameness may originate from, or
have an impact on, the back.
Figure 2
Careful palpation of the limb often
reveals the site of pain
The main steps involved in the
investigation of the lame horse
are summarised: