Equine Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Q&A 02
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A four-year-old Thoroughbred presented with mild chronic bilateral forelimb lameness which responded to palmar digital perineural analgesia.
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Comment on the foot balance and why this may be significant. | The radiograph shows a severely broken back foot–pastern axis, associated with long toe–low heel conformation.
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Discuss how this can be improved, and suggest what shoes should be applied. | The foot conformation can be improved by trimming the toe. ‘Dubbing’ the toe will shorten it in a dorsopalmar direction and reduce leverage. If it is possible to shorten the toe in a proximodistal direction, this will improve the angulation of the third phalanx.
Careful attention should also be paid to the medio-lateral balance of the foot. This will depend on the presence of limb valgus or varus but, in a straight limb, the medial and lateral walls should be of the same height with the medial wall slightly more vertical than the lateral. |
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