Clinical and ultrasonographic findings in horses with desmopathy of the palmar/plantar abaxial ligaments of the proximal interphalangeal joint: 20 cases.

Objective: To describe the clinical and ultrasonographic findings in horses with desmopathy of the abaxial palmar/plantar ligament (APL) of the proximal interphalangeal joint and the prevalence of concurrent musculoskeletal injuries in the pastern and foot.

Animals: Horses presenting to New Bolton Center between March 2017 and November 2022 with an age ranging from 5 to 20 years that underwent lameness evaluation in which lameness was localized to the distal limb and had an ultrasonographic diagnosis of APL desmopathy.

Clinical Presentation: Horses included were those that (1) presented for a lameness examination; (2) had lameness that improved after diagnostic analgesia with a low 4-point nerve block (medial and lateral palmar/plantar nerves and medial and lateral palmar/plantar metacarpal/metatarsal nerves), abaxial sesamoid nerve block (medial and lateral palmar or plantar nerves), or palmar/plantar digital nerve block; and (3) had an ultrasonographic diagnosis of APL desmopathy.

Cardiac/Cardiovascular Conditions Affecting Sport Horses.

Cardiac murmurs are not uncommonly detected in the equine athlete. Although most are benign in nature, differentiation and quantification of murmurs due to valvular regurgitation are important for prognosis and recommendations. Arrhythmias can be associated with structural disease or occur independently and may range in severity from minimal clinical effect to poor performance to presenting a safety risk to rider and horse.