Can a horse sprain a fetlock?
The sprain is characterized by the achievement of a ligament or two. This condition is often caused by trauma or due to over-exertion of the horse kind breakdown. This is a common condition in horses. It is characterized by joint swelling in connection with an instability.
What causes fetlock injury?
Causes include poor conformation, improper shoeing, or repeated jarring injury from working on hard ground. Trauma and infection, especially wire-cut wounds, are other causes. In light horses, the condition may result from strains on ligaments and tendons in the pastern region.
Can a broken fetlock heal?
A severely broken leg may require surgery to implant devices into the broken bone to maintain proper alignment during healing. Other injuries may be treated with a cast or splint. In all cases, prompt diagnosis and treatment of a broken leg is critical to complete healing.
What is knuckling over in horses?
Knuckling over is a term used when examining the hind legs of horses. It is a condition where the fetlock joint in the horses leg has straightened so much, that the horse risks tripping over its hind hooves.
Why is my horse fetlock swollen?
They usually occur when the horse is exercising at a high speed due to overextension (hyperextension) of the fetlock joint. An affected horse will suddenly become lame and have swelling of the fetlock joint. Another type of fracture involves chips or loose fragments on the back of the long pastern bone.
How are contracted tendons treated?
Contact your vet as soon as any problem is observed. Specially padded wrap-around splints may be applied to hold the fetlock, pastern and toe in the correct position. Standing or exercising the foal on a hard surface will aid in stretching the tendons.
What is a fetlock injury in a horse?
Injuries to a horses fetlock often involve the joint itself or the surrounding soft tissue and are a common problem in performance and sports horses often through strains or injuries. There are varying types of fetlock injuries found in horses.
How to tell if a horse has a swollen fetlock?
Before the vet can diagnose a swollen fetlock, it is important to identify the position of the swelling and whether the horse is lame. Windgalls are soft swellings filled with synovial fluid towards the rear of the fetlock. They are seen in many horses and rarely cause a problem.
How is a horse’s fetlock formed?
The fetlock is formed where the cannon bone and the long pastern bone meet. The joint includes two sesamoid bones at the back, which the flexor tendons pass over, and is strengthened by ligaments spanning the cannon and pastern bones. When a horse is galloping or jumping the joint almost touches…
How do you fix a broken fetlock on a horse?
Surgical repair is the ideal treatment for these fractures. However, this horse was treated conservatively and is living a happy life. Catastrophic fetlock fractures are uncommon. The best way to fix these is with surgical repair and possible arthrodesis of the joints involved.