Here, a veterinarian and a human dentist shed some light on the differences between horse dental care and human dental maintenance.

Tooth Growth

Horses’ teeth start growing early in life.

“A foal’s teeth start to develop in the uterus, and the central incisors are often present at birth or erupt during the first week of life,” says Chris Wickliffe, DVM, an equine veterinarian based in Oregon.

At 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years old, primary teeth start falling out and permanent teeth begin coming in, Wickliffe explains. In most horses, all permanent teeth are present by 5 years old, but growth doesn’t stop there.

“Because horse feed is very coarse, they literally grind their teeth off over time,” Wickliffe says.

As the tooth gets ground off, it generates a reflex in the periodontal ligament that pushes the tooth into the mouth to replace what was ground off. This process slows as the horse gets older until he runs out of tooth.

During their lifespan, horses will grow 24 primary teeth and up to 44 permanent teeth.

Human teeth, like those of our hooved companions, show up early.

“Within the first six weeks of life, human teeth begin to form,” says human dentist Jarred Hanley, DMD.

Human teeth are programmed to grow and erupt (come through the gums) in a specific order. Hanley says the first primary tooth erupts around 6 months old, while the first permanent tooth doesn’t arrive until close to 6 years of age. This eruption process continues until the third molars show up at around 17 to 21 years of age.

Most humans develop 20 primary teeth and 32 permanent teeth.

Equine Tooth Structure

Horses and humans both grow four different types of teeth: incisors, cuspids (canines), bicuspids (premolars), and molars.

A horse’s tooth root is located at the bottom of the alveolar bone (the bone where the tooth forms) and comes up through the middle of the tooth, stopping before the gum line, according to Wickliffe. Above that is the pulp cavity, a chamber-like area covered by multiple layers of dentin, cementum and enamel.

Horses have hypsodont teeth, found in grazing animals that eat fibrous material. These have high crowns with extra material for all of the wear and tear they experience.

“Most horse’s teeth actually end in cementum around the outside,” Wickliffe says, highlighting an important difference from human teeth. Cementum is softer than enamel and prevents the teeth from shattering under the pressure used to grind food.

Molars are made up of multiple layers of dentin, cementum and enamel. Wickliffe also notes that a horse’s molars and premolars have multiple roots, with most molars having four to five.

Horse incisors, however, have one central root and single layers of cementum, dentin and enamel, similar to human teeth.

Human Tooth Structure

Human teeth are also rooted in the alveolar bone, according to Hanley. In humans, this bone forms our upper and lower jaw. Human teeth have two different components: the crown and the root.

Humans have brachydont teeth, meaning low-crowned teeth that don’t continuously erupt. The crown is the portion of the tooth seen when a person smiles. Human crowns are capped with enamel, the hardest part of the tooth.

“Enamel provides a hard, durable chewing surface that is resistant to deformation,” says Hanley.

Underneath the enamel is a layer of dentin, which recognizes sensitivity.

Finally, under the dentin lies the vascular core of the tooth where the dental pulp resides. This is where the blood supply, nerve endings and other internal components of the tooth are located.

The second component of human teeth, the root, makes up the lower part of the tooth and is generally below the gums. Cementum covers the outer part of the root, followed by a layer of dentin. The dentin surrounds the inner pulp canal that leads up into the crown of the tooth, according to Hanley.

Equine Dental Care

Horses depend on humans to plan their dental visits. Wickliffe recommends having dental exams accompany annual well-horse visits so your veterinarian can see the full picture of your horse’s health, including the horse’s dental wellbeing.

“Teeth lend themselves to a lot of problems throughout the horse,” he adds.

A typical exam includes:

◆ Wellness check
◆ Manual dental exam
◆ Sedation for a more detailed exam (if needed)
◆ Video scope of teeth and mouth (if needed)

During a manual exam, the veterinarian runs their finger along the cheek teeth (premolars and molars) to check for tartar and enamel points. If the horse allows it, a veterinarian may pull the tongue to the side and rinse the mouth for a better view, Wickliffe explains.
If additional examination is needed, sedation may be required so a veterinarian can check for abnormalities in hard-to-see areas, Wickliffe adds. Some practices will use a video scope.

At a minimum, Wickliffe recommends annual horse dental checks.

Human Dental Care

Human teeth require a little more upkeep than our equine partners. At-home care, like brushing, flossing and mouth rinse, in addition to dental visits, is essential, according to Hanley.

A typical office visit includes:

◆ General health history
◆ Oral cancer screening
◆ Examination
◆ X-rays (if needed)
◆ Hygiene cleaning

When looking for cavities, dentists will assess what they can see and touch with instruments, and then will use X-rays to see hidden areas, like the inside of a tooth.

“Any exam is going to be broken up between clinical and radiographic findings,” says Hanley.

Dental checkups should occur at least twice a year, but may require more frequency depending on an individual’s health history, says Hanley. As with horses, providing a complete health history helps a dentist better understand any dental challenges that may arise.

The Bottom Line

Horses and humans have some interesting dental similarities, but they also have key differences. Humans should plan accordingly and schedule preventative visits for themselves and their equine sidekicks. Fewer toothaches mean more time to make happy memories with your horse.

For more equine health content, read Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Equine Dental Care 101 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: My horse has very sensitive skin, like so sensitive that if I use too much pressure with a curry comb he looks like he has hives. He never flinches or shows any discomfort when being groomed, and the bumps don’t seem to bother him, but they last for about 30-40 minutes. Is there anything that I can do to help him?

A: From the description of it, your horse could possibly be exhibiting “pressure hives” or “pressure urticaria.” This is an uncommon condition that falls under the main category of Physical Hives or Physical Urticaria which is hives caused by a physical stimulus such as mechanical (friction, vibration, pressure), thermal (hot or cold), or other forces.

Another name for this condition, if indeed that is what your horse is diagnosed with, is dermographism or dermatographism, which is an exaggerated tendency to form wheals when the skin is stroked. It’s actually the most common form of Physical Urticaria.

Since it seems fairly reproducible in your horse, I recommend you schedule a visit from your regular veterinarian, have them examine your horse in the “before” or normal state, then groom in the way that causes the hives to appear, and have the vet re-examine your horse. They’ll get to see the bumps for themselves, including how quickly they appear and disappear, as well as your horse’s general response to grooming and wheal-forming. Hopefully this will confirm the diagnosis so that you can get started developing a prevention program together.

In humans, antihistamines are somewhat effective for this condition, with doctors turning to steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs if necessary. There can be side effects to each of these classes of drugs which your vet can walk you through so that you can make an informed decision.

Several supplement ingredients have been shown to support skin health especially of the “overreactive” nature, including omega 3 fatty acids, MSM, spirulina, and adaptogens. Take advantage of your vet’s on-farm visit to also chat about these ingredients as well as the research behind them to decide if one or more might be a good addition to your horse’s regimen.

The post Ask the Vet: Pressure Hives in Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: Is removing wolf teeth necessary? When should it be done?

A: “Wolf” teeth, the true first premolars, typically sit right next to the first large cheek teeth aka second premolars. They do not occur in every horse, may occur only on the top or bottom arcade (or only on the left or right), and may be present but not visible because they did not erupt through the gum (known then as “blind” wolf teeth). They typically erupt around 5 to 6 months of age.

Wolf teeth come in all shapes and sizes but are typically much smaller than any of the other teeth. When they are abnormally positioned and have the potential to cause bitting issues it may be recommended to have them extracted, but many performance horses do just fine with normal wolf teeth.

It used to be that we always removed wolf teeth in young horses before they were ever started or had a bridle in their mouth (commonly done in male horses at the time of castration). However, we’ve become less aggressive in this and other aspects of equine dentistry and now the thinking is: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

The post Ask the Vet: Wolf Teeth appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

A: That sounds like an exciting project! You’re right in that you absolutely need to establish a good understanding of whatever condition you’re dealing with, its current status, and where to go from here with your horse’s rehab.

As a patient myself who’s presently undergoing physical therapy for an injury, one of the first things I wanted to know was what motions or movements, positions or postures were to be avoided, and for how long. For horses, this may mean stall rest, being restricted to a small paddock, or no group turnout for a while. It may also mean no exercise, handwalking only, light longeing, or light riding. If you are allowed to gently work him, be specific and ask about surfaces, inclines, figures, gaits, etc plus get an idea how long any restrictions are in place.

For myself, I also wanted to know what activities I SHOULD be doing – as well as how many and how often. In order to keep track of what your horse should and should not be doing – as well as his rehab progress – you’ll want to start a journal so that you can record what you did each day and how he tolerated it. By recording things either on paper if you’re old-fashioned like me, on your computer, or via an app, you’ll be able to look back and see when you started, say, handwalking, how long you did it, or how many laps. You can track when you added some trot steps or transitions, when you began to include bending lines, circles, and corners, when he graduated from handwalking to lunging, and from lunging to having a rider (ie weight) on his back.

Be sure to ask the vet who’s going to be working with you throughout your horse’s rehab process what problems to look for and when to contact them vs just backing off. For example, is a small amount of heat or swelling in the affected limb to be expected or should you call at the first sign of inflammation? In some situations the vet may advise taking it easy for a few days or returning to a lower level of exercise while in others an exam with imaging may be warranted.

Finally, one thing that’s different between recovering horses and humans is the concept of going “stir crazy” or having “cabin fever.” While both species certainly get antsy when they’re “cooped up,” at least humans know that it’s not forever and they can entertain themselves with TV, books, social media, etc. Horses have been known to reinjure themselves or cause a brand new injury by literally “bouncing off the walls” so if this describes your guy, talk to your vet about your options for supporting a calm temperament with supplements, feeding and management changes in the barn, or prescription medications. I hope the rehab process goes well and you have a nice partner when he’s fully cleared!

The post Ask the Vet: Rehabbing a Retired Racehorse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: Can you settle a bet? I was always told that male horses (stallions and geldings) have more teeth than mares, but my friend says that’s not true. Can you set us straight on horse teeth, how many they have, when, and why?

A: I’m afraid my response may not settle the bet because the answer is: sometimes but not always. That is, while male horses are generally more likely to have more teeth than female horses, it’s an individual thing. Therefore, stallions, geldings, and mares can have the same number of teeth or (rarely), an individual mare may have more teeth than the gelding that lives next door to her. A closer look inside the mouth reveals why:

Although few have this many, horses actually have the capacity for 44 teeth by the time they’re an adult! If we just consider the teeth on the top, there are:

• 6 incisors
• 2 canine teeth (1 left, 1 right)
• 2 “wolf” teeth (1 left, 1 right)
• 6 cheek teeth (3 premolars and 3 molars) on the right
• 6 cheek teeth (3 premolars and 3 molars) on the left
• 22 teeth TOTAL on the top

Double this to include the bottom arcade for a grand total of 44 teeth in the mouth of an adult horse. Now let’s talk about each type of tooth individually:

Incisors are the teeth in the front that horses use to bite or tear off grass. While each tooth has a designated “official number”, these teeth may be referred to as central, intermediate, and corner incisors. All horses have the same number of incisors, 12 total (6 on the bottom and 6 on the top).

Canine or “bridle” teeth, also called tusks, are the individual teeth more often seen in geldings and stallions that lie in the interdental or bit space between the corner incisor and the first cheek tooth. Since horses are herbivores or grazing animals, not meat eaters, it is believed the only function of these teeth is for fighting between males of a herd. Canines are not present in every horse, even males, and may occasionally be seen in mares.

“Wolf” teeth, the true first premolar, come next, and typically sit right next to the first large cheek tooth aka second premolar. They do not appear in every horse, may occur only on the top or bottom arcade (or only on the left or right), and may be present but not visible because they did not erupt through the gum (known then as “blind” wolf teeth). Wolf teeth come in all shapes and sizes but are typically much smaller than any of the other teeth. Wolf teeth that are abnormally positioned and may cause bitting issues are extracted, but many performance horses do just fine with normal wolf teeth.

Premolars and Molars together make up the horse’s cheek teeth, the largest teeth in the mouth whose table surfaces meet in a sideways motion to grind food into smaller particles that can be swallowed and digested. All horses have three premolars followed by three molars in each arcade, right and left, top and bottom, for a total of 24 cheek teeth. Because the upper jaw is slightly wider than the lower jaw, the upper and lower cheek teeth don’t meet together perfectly – the upper cheek teeth protrude on the cheek side or outside of the mouth while the lower cheek teeth protrude on the tongue side or inside of the mouth. It is in these areas that sharp enamel points develop as the teeth wear, and these points can cause discomfort secondary to abrasions and ulceration to the cheeks and the tongue.

Incisors have traditionally been used to “age” a horse, although more and more the accuracy of this technique has been called into question. However, because most horses have all of their adult teeth by the age of five years old, it is somewhat possible to estimate the age of a horse from birth to five years. This table provides a general eruption or appearance schedule of the horse’s deciduous (baby or “milk” teeth) as well as permanent or adult teeth:

Although it is important to note that not every horse “reads the book” and therefore eruption ages may vary, many horsemen use the saying “6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months” to remember how old foals and weanlings generally are when their deciduous incisors come in. Likewise, “2 ½, 3 ½, and 4 ½” is an easy way to remember when the permanent incisors come in.

This may have been more info that you were looking for, but at least now you and your friend have an accurate picture of the inside of the equine mouth in all its variations.

The post Ask the Vet: Do stallions have more teeth than mares? appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: The vet was just out to look at my 20-year-old horse, who’s become difficult to bridle, picks at his food, and won’t even take carrots from my hand anymore. I kinda figured it was a mouth problem, but my vet said regular floating wouldn’t fix this, that my horse has some kind of new disease (with a bunch of letters) that might mean some teeth have to get pulled. Do you have any idea what she was talking about?

A: I believe you’re talking about EOTRH, which stands for Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis. It’s a newly recognized syndrome in older horses resulting in disease and destruction of incisors and canine teeth, and sometimes cheek teeth.

As the disease progresses, the roots of multiple teeth begin to resorb or dissolve, and the body tries to stabilize these teeth by laying down extra cementum (the bone-like substance covering each tooth). This results in hypercementosis or bulbous swellings around the roots of affected teeth. These teeth become infected, abscess, and may loosen or even fracture. In severe cases there may also be significant extension of disease to the bone around the affected teeth.

EORTH is a slowly progressive disease, and it’s unknown at this time what the trigger is that starts the process. It’s believed that the process actually begins well before owners and veterinarians first start to recognize signs.

EOTRH is a very painful condition for affected horses, and chronically affected horses have weight loss, lack of appetite, attitude changes, hypersalivation (drooling), head shaking, discomfort in the bridle, and other signs. It’s known that both periodontal (gum) disease and dental abscesses are painful, and this syndrome causes a significant degree of both, with usually multiple teeth affected. Because horses are quite stoic and adapt to this chronic pain, it’s typically not until the pain is gone (ie the affected teeth are extracted) that you realize how much the disease was affecting them.

A veterinarian may suspect EOTRH during a routine exam or when asked to look at a horse showing signs like yours. However, radiographs (x-rays) are essential to making a diagnosis, because most of this process occurs below the gumline and cannot be seen. Often there are more severe changes present radiographically than what are expected just by looking at the teeth and gums. Radiographs will show whether the horse has more severe resorption or abscessation, or if there is significant hypercementosis present that could make extractions more difficult. Vets use these images to then make a plan for extractions, deciding whether they should be removed in stages (if only a few teeth are affected) or if all the incisors and canines require extraction due to advanced disease.

Regarding extractions, horses tolerate these very well and usually remain standing under heavy sedation with local nerve blocks so they cannot feel anything happening in the mouth. Afterwards, pain medications and antibiotics are usually prescribed. These horses are typically eating a soft, soaked pelleted mash or chopped or pelleted hay before going home the same day and back to normal feed the following day. They generally start feeling better within 24 hours of having chronically infected and painful teeth removed, and owners frequently report a noticeable difference in their behavior and attitude.

If EOTRH turns out to be the diagnosis in your horse after a follow-up exam and radiographs, follow your vet’s advice and in no time your horse should be back to his old self!

The post Ask the Vet: EOTRH appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In our Ask the Vet column, Dr. Lydia Gray answers your horse-health questions at horseillustrated.com/AskTheVet.

Q: My horse just had colic surgery and will be coming home in a few days. I’m sure the hospital (and my regular vet) will give me advice on how to care for him, but this is the first time I (and he!) have been through this and I want to make sure I’m doing everything right. What is your advice for colic aftercare?

A: I completely understand your anxiety, having been through a colic surgery in my own horse not too long ago. The entire process from beginning to end, from the first sign of colic and your regular vet’s on-farm treatments to trailering to the referral center for additional diagnostics and eventual surgery, is extremely stressful for everyone, making it hard to listen to the vet’s explanations and instructions at the time. Thank goodness they’ll send you home with written discharge instructions for you to read when things are a bit more settled.

These discharge instructions usually address general monitoring, caring for the incision, feeding, exercise, and medication, if any. General monitoring includes observing your horse for EDUD or Eating, Drinking, Urinating, and Defecating, as well as making sure he’s BAR (bright, alert, responsive), that he’s regaining any weight he may have lost during this episode, and that he’s not showing any signs of colic. The incision should be inspected daily for signs of infection such as discharge, redness, or excess swelling, as well as “dehiscence,” in which the sutured edges split apart or gape open.

The surgical facility, as part of your horse’s colic aftercare, will have introduced him gradually to his regular diet, feeding small meals frequently, and will give you clear instructions on what and how much to give at what intervals as you continue to restore him to full feed. Depending on what was found during surgery and what the original cause of the colic was determined to be, your horse may or may not return to his regular diet. For example, if an ileal impaction was discovered and his diet had been coastal Bermuda hay, the veterinarians may suggest he be switched to another type of hay that has less of a tendency to cause an obstruction.

A typical timeline for exercise begins with four weeks of stall rest, during which time your horse can be handwalked and handgrazed. This is followed by another four weeks of turnout, alone, in a stall with a small run or paddock attached. At the end of this 60-day or two-month period, if all is still going well, most horses can be given full turnout with other horses. Light longeing and riding is usually permitted at this time, with a gradual return to full training at the 90 day mark.

Personally, I kept a daily journal of my horse’s progress that include the general monitoring above, what he was fed each day and how many manure piles he made, and how long I walked or grazed him. I also wrote down his temperature, pulse, and respiration and other vital signs. This helped me stay on top of any trends and it may help you too!

The post Ask the Vet: Colic Surgery Aftercare appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: How do I know if my horse’s colic is a simple one that can be managed here on the farm or if he needs to be taken to a hospital for surgery? I’ve heard that the sooner horses get to surgery the better, so I don’t want to wait too long.

A: You are absolutely correct that early recognition of colic signs and early referral to a hospital significantly increase a horse’s chances of survival. Your role is recognizing the signs of colic in your horse and contacting your veterinarian immediately. Your vet’s role is assessing the situation and advising if medical care is appropriate or surgery is necessary.

How does your vet know when a colic is medical and can be treated conservatively at home vs. when a colic is surgical and must be referred to a facility that can perform emergency abdominal surgery? Once your vet arrives at the farm, everything he or she does – ask questions about the recent history, perform an examination that may include nasogastric (nose-to-stomach) intubation and rectal palpation, begin treatment – provides clues as to the nature of this episode.

Once your vet arrives at the farm, everything he or she does provides clues as to the nature of this episode.

For example, if your horse’s medical history includes colic surgery a year ago, then there’s a possibility he has “adhesions,” a complication of a previous abdominal surgery where sections of bowel can stick to other sections of bowel, the body wall, or other organs, and may require a second surgery to correct.

Example number 2: during the exam, if a large amount of gas, liquid, or feed “reflux” comes up out of the tube in your horse’s stomach, then this could indicate a blockage in the bowel that may require surgery to correct (rectal palpation is also used to detect blockages including impactions, displacements, and twists).

A third example is if your vet gives your horse medication for pain as part of treatment but the pain persists or immediately returns. This sign of colic could also indicate that surgery is necessary.

On the other hand, if the history includes recent turnout onto lush spring grass, then your vet will be leaning towards a simple gas colic as a diagnosis. If the heart rate is low (in the normal range of 28 to 42 beats per minute) and the gums are moist and pink during the examination, your horse’s cardiovascular status is good and his pain levels are likely low. And if one dose of a pain-killer has him asking for food, passing manure, and looking to play with his buddies, chances are that the episode has passed.

Basically:

1. if there are signs of complete or partial obstruction of the bowel,
2. if there is persistent or severe abdominal pain,
3. if your horse appears to be going into circulatory shock, or
4. if there is a lack of response to medical treatment in general, your vet may suggest immediate referral to an equine hospital for further workup, additional medical support, or emergency abdominal surgery.

The post Ask the Vet: Evaluating Colic appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In our Ask the Vet column, Dr. Lydia Gray answers your horse-health questions at horseillustrated.com/AskTheVet.

Q: What is the best age to geld a stallion? is it better to do it before starting them under saddle?

A: This is one of those questions that has no right or wrong answer but has more to do with personal preference, although there are some medical considerations. First, some facts:

• In the normal colt, both testes should descend through the inguinal canal and into the scrotum between 30 days before birth and 10 days after birth.
• The vaginal rings close during the first 2 weeks of the foal’s life, preventing a testicle that has not fully descended from the abdomen at that point from subsequent descent.
• Horses reach sexual maturity between 18 and 24 months of age.
• Testosterone not only causes stallion-like behavior, but also causes growth plates in long bones to close earlier than they would in a gelding, resulting in geldings growing taller.
• Anesthesia and surgery are less traumatic, less risky, and have less complications in younger animals.
• Horses can be castrated under standing sedation or general anesthesia (recumbent).
• Castrations can be performed open, as they usually are on the farm, or closed, which is more common in a hospital setting.

Armed with this information, an owner can work with their veterinarian to schedule castration at a time that is both convenient for the farm, training schedules, and season as well as in the best interest of the health and well-being of the animal. As soon as you know that you are not going to keep your colt to breed, there is no reason to wait until he demonstrates stallion-like behavior or becomes aggressive or hard to manage. That’s one reason why the most popular age range for gelding horses is between six and twelve months or before one year of age.

On the other hand, some owners prefer their male horses to have a more masculine appearance such as a thicker neck and heavier build, and therefore may wait until the colt is two or even three years old and under the influence of testosterone. The bottom line is that as long as you can safely handle and house your colt, the decision of when to geld him is up to you, as long as it is understood that, even though testosterone will be out of his system in 4-6 weeks, some male behavior may persist if it was exhibited before castration (i.e. gelding an adult stallion removes the cells that make sperm and testosterone but it does not necessarily remove learned behavior).

Since it is important that colts who undergo an open castration actively move about to keep the incision open and draining, preventing swelling and infection, based on the age of the horse some owners and trainers choose to start training shortly after the surgery. Round pen work, lunging, and ground-driving all get the legs moving! Your vet will give you specific instructions for how to care for your colt after castration, and when you’re going through them together would be a great time to ask what he or she thinks about starting your horse under saddle. Good luck with your boy!

The post Ask the Vet: When to Geld a Colt appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Q: I have a young horse that had a locked stifle. It happened twice so far, once when she was 2 years old and the second time was about a year after that. Why does it happen? Is there a treatment for it? And is it a long term problem?

A: Anatomy wasn’t my best subject in vet school, but I do remember that the equine stifle is the equivalent of the human knee, complete with patella or kneecap. What’s unique about the horse is the presence of three patellar ligaments (lateral, middle, and medial) that hook over a notch or ridge at the end of the femur bone, allowing the horse to “lock” its hind legs and therefore sleep standing up (“doze” would be the more accurate term, as deep, REM-quality sleep in the horse can only be obtained when lying down).

A locked stifle, also known as intermittent upward fixation of the patella, occurs when this hooking mechanism doesn’t unhook properly, causing the horse’s hind leg to be stuck in the extended position momentarily or for longer periods of time. Signs of a locked stifle include:

• Anything from a slight delay or alteration of the flight pattern of a hind limb to a completely straight limb that “knuckles over” at the ankle or fetlock and drags the toe
• Difficulty walking up and down hills
• Trouble backing
• Resistance and problems in the canter (especially the trot to canter transition)
• Worsening with rest
• No improvement with NSAIDs such as bute

Because some of these signs overlap with other conditions of the hind legs such as shivers, stringhalt, fibrotic myopathy, PSSM, and tying up, it is important for your veterinarian to examine your horse and confirm a diagnosis of an upwardly fixated of the patella as the problem. Showing your vet pictures or a video may be helpful since the condition comes and goes and may not occur during a short farm visit.

There are generally considered to be four main reasons for a stifle to lock:

• Lack of muscular fitness
• Poor body condition (ie debilitation, weight loss)
• Trauma or injury to the area
• Conformation issues of the entire limb, within the stifle joint itself, or of the hoof

It is not uncommon to see locked stifles in young horses such as yours that haven’t yet fully filled out or developed, or who aren’t yet in a regular exercise program. It can also occur when a horse is taken abruptly out of training and confined to a stall, causing muscle loss. Similarly, horses that are underweight or weak can also be prone to a “sticky” patella, as can those that have had direct trauma to the tissues and structures of the stifle. Finally, it is believed that horses with very straight-legged hind leg conformation when viewed from the side, horses with lax patellar ligaments, or horses with incorrect angles within the hind feet are prone to locking stifles.

This condition may be self-correcting in your filly as she matures. That is, she may “grow out of” her sticky stifles as she gains height, weight, and muscle mass. Regular turnout and controlled exercise are highly recommended – your vet may even suggest a program that involves therapeutic ground work, cavaletti, hill work, backing, transitions, and other movements specifically designed to target the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the hindquarters. Corrective trimming and/or shoeing may be necessary, and the footing of turnout and work areas should undergo careful consideration. For horses that do not respond to these conservative approaches, hormonal (estrogen) therapy, injecting a local counterirritant or “blister,” and even surgery are additional options that can be discussed with your vet.

The post Ask the Vet: Locked Stifle appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.