Equine Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Q&A 20

This question was provided by Manson Publishing as part of the OVAL Project. See more Equine Orthopaedic and Rheumatological questions

During a purchase examination, a horse is noticed to have a small wound on the lateral aspect of the right hindlimb, just above the coronary band. When drawn to the owners’ attention, they claim that this is a recent injury, the scab of which keeps on being knocked off by the horse.

Question	Answer		Article
What would be your main concern about this wound?	A discharging sinus just above the coronary band, associated with swelling over the collateral cartilage, is highly likely to be caused by infection of the cartilage – ‘quittor’. It can be distinguished from infection of the hoof wall by the presence of a band of skin between the sinus and the skin-horn junction, and also the low level or absence of lameness in early cases.		Link to Article
Would you recommend the horse for purchase?	Quittor requires surgery to effect a cure, and the nature of the condition means that several operations may be needed before the infection is finally eliminated. This requires both time and money, so such an animal is best avoided.		Link to Article