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The Diagnosis of Lameness in the Horse
by Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Introduction
Introduction
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Normal: What Does a Sound Horse Look Like
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Symptoms of Lameness
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Classification and Grading of Severity
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Localizing Lamness: Which Leg is Lame?
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Where in the Leg Is It
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The Stiff Horse: Bilateral Lameness
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Exaggerated Upward Flexion of the Hind Limb
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Hindlimb Becomes Stuck Behind the Horse
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Shortened Stride and the Foot Slaps the Ground
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Localized Lameness Diagnosis
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More Info
Note: if you have a lame horse and do not know why, this is an excellent place to start.
Lameness is defined as "a deviation from the normal gait or posture due to pain or mechanical dysfunction". We recognize lameness because there is a change in the way our horse stands, walks, trots, or canters. Usually lameness is the result of pain, but not always. Mechanical factors and abnormal nerve function causes several well-defined problems with the horse's gait. The steps necessary to arrive at a firm diagnosis for the cause of a lameneess are:
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Identifying a clear symptom of lameness.
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Localizing those symptoms to the diseased leg or legs.
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Localizing the area of the leg that is diseased.
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Identifying the nature of the disease
Only when these steps are followed carefully is it possible to arrive at a correct diagnosis. Sometimes the steps are as easy as:
Steps 1 and 2: the horse will not bear weight on the right leg.
Step 3: The foot is as hot as a iron.
Step 4: Examination of the foot with hoof testers finds a sore spot that when pared into exudes puss.
But often the symptoms are such that they don't immediately lend themselves to identifying which leg is involved or even whether it is pain in the leg or foot responsible for the problem. This article takes each of the steps of diagnosing lameness and explains them so that you can recognize the changes associated with lameness, how to determine which leg is lame, how to localize the lameness in the leg, and then how identify the cause. Links to specific causes of lameness are then provided.
~Word Count: 6003 words (The average magazine page contains about 600 words);
~Last Updated: April 17, 2011;
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Discussions on Localizing Lameness in the Horse
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Titles |
Subtopics |
Posts |
Updated |
 | Stifle or hock? | 1 | 2 | Apr 20, 13 |
| Next step for hind limb lameness | 1 | 4 | Aug 7, 12 |
| Horse Only Trots One Direction | 1 | 3 | Sep 28, 11 |
| Research Summary: Safety of Diagnostic Intra-articular Anesthesia | 1 | 1 | Jun 4, 11 |
| Lame on one or both hind legs? | 1 | 11 | May 22, 11 |
| Know what hurts - Don't know how to fix it | 1 | 15 | Apr 12, 11 |
| Horse does not rest hind legs | 1 | 7 | Mar 22, 11 |
| Sore behind (stifle?) much worse in soft footing, gets better on ha... | 1 | 2 | Mar 3, 11 |
| Cannot find cause of lameness | 1 | 23 | Apr 21, 11 |
| Chronic hind end lameness-suspect higher up | 1 | 6 | Oct 6, 10 |
| Weight loss, weakness, nose bleed, can't walk without signs of stru... | 1 | 6 | Oct 5, 10 |
| Head bobbing down for hind end lameness? | 1 | 3 | Aug 10, 10 |
| Lame horse - hugely variable! | 1 | 6 | Jun 25, 10 |
| Shock wave therapy on lame horse | 1 | 2 | Mar 1, 10 |
| Front end lameness | 1 | 2 | Jan 21, 10 |
| Update on localizing lameness | 1 | 8 | Feb 28, 10 |
| Research Study: Comparison of high-field and low-field magnetic res... | 1 | 6 | Mar 1, 11 |
| Unspecified, intermittent lameness | 1 | 11 | Sep 22, 09 |
| Lame Clydesdale - almost 2 wks, still no answers | 1 | 23 | Jul 17, 09 |
| Lameness Evauluation on friday. | 1 | 10 | May 29, 09 |
| Pulled Muscle in Neck Causing Lameness? | 1 | 47 | Jun 22, 09 |
| Founder, colic or something else | 1 | 15 | May 18, 09 |
| Need help localizing lameness | 1 | 30 | May 12, 09 |
| Lame at right lead canter | 1 | 3 | Apr 20, 09 |
| Strange hoof position when resting hind leg what is it? | 1 | 2 | Mar 11, 09 |
| Research Study: Force Plate Gait Analysis | 1 | 1 | Mar 5, 09 |
| Mystery lameness | 1 | 10 | Mar 22, 09 |
| Shoulder Lameness | 1 | 9 | Feb 9, 09 |
| Blood in joint fluid-lame-hock swelling | 1 | 4 | Nov 15, 08 |
| Lame Counter Clock Wise Only | 1 | 2 | Oct 11, 08 |
| Rear leg lameness - i need help | 1 | 19 | Oct 4, 08 |
| Snatching hind leg up high when picking out hoof | 1 | 74 | Jan 15, 09 |
| What is this horse's stance telling me? | 1 | 9 | Sep 24, 08 |
| Lameness | 1 | 6 | Sep 21, 08 |
| Stifle? | 1 | 5 | Sep 9, 08 |
| Undiagnosed persistant lameness | 1 | 10 | Jul 5, 08 |
| Protecting hind leg when turning on forehand | 1 | 5 | Jan 15, 08 |
| Tailing altering and hind end lameness | 1 | 9 | Jan 17, 08 |
| Bilateral front foot lameness | 1 | 16 | Jan 28, 08 |
| The right farrier for my girl | 1 | 8 | Nov 23, 07 |
| Horse NQR at canter | 1 | 6 | Nov 14, 07 |
| Stallion in scuffle with another stallion | 1 | 4 | Sep 17, 07 |
| Upper hock joint bone spur | 1 | 4 | Sep 17, 07 |
| Hind Leg Hopping | 1 | 3 | Jul 24, 07 |
| Hocks causing pain in the front?? | 1 | 11 | Sep 13, 07 |
| Right hind leg lamenes | 1 | 14 | Jul 26, 07 |
| Right Hindleg Lameness | 1 | 7 | Jun 12, 07 |
| Updated Article: Localizing Lameness | 1 | 1 | Jan 24, 07 |
| Need Help with Lameness | 1 | 10 | May 11, 07 |
| Confused - different opinions on lameness site | 1 | 65 | Oct 4, 07 |
| Walking on toe of right hind | 1 | 5 | Jan 10, 07 |
| Mare experiencing lameness | 1 | 32 | Jan 12, 07 |
| SOUND OR NOT - Grade 3 Lame, RF | 1 | 2 | Nov 9, 06 |
| Bicipital bursitis | 1 | 24 | Nov 20, 06 |
| Horse pulls up hind legs........vet says stringhalt?? | 1 | 7 | Jul 28, 06 |
| 4 yr old suddenly lame | 1 | 17 | Jul 21, 06 |
| LAME EVERY FEW MONTHS | 1 | 3 | Mar 28, 06 |
| Suspected suspensory injury or soft tissue injury | 1 | 4 | Mar 3, 06 |
| Frustrating hind leg lameness | 1 | 10 | Jan 23, 06 |
| Skeletal scintigraphy in the horse | 1 | 1 | Jan 6, 06 |
| Non-skeletal scintigraphy of the horse | 1 | 1 | Jan 6, 06 |
| Can't extend LF shoulder | 1 | 4 | Oct 31, 05 |
| Lame on flexion in prepurchase | 1 | 5 | Aug 24, 05 |
| Doing your own flexion tests | 1 | 5 | Sep 13, 05 |
| MRI Scans - Yes or No ? | 1 | 2 | Aug 1, 05 |
| Horse off in hind leg | 1 | 6 | Jul 30, 05 |
| Sweat marks on hips - Nerve damage? | 1 | 4 | Jul 14, 05 |
| Sudden lameness in hind leg at trot, sound at walk | 1 | 2 | Jun 29, 05 |
| Head movement uneven at the walk | 1 | 6 | Jun 28, 05 |
| Horse Uncooperative for Nerve Blocks - Any Suggestions? | 1 | 14 | Jun 26, 05 |
| Adrenalin and lameness | 1 | 7 | May 31, 05 |
| Abnormal Canter - Lameness in hocks? ligament? | 1 | 3 | Apr 14, 05 |
| Influence of rider on lameness in trotting horses | 1 | 3 | Feb 4, 05 |
| Hind leg slipping | 1 | 14 | Mar 9, 05 |
| Elusive lameness | 1 | 98 | Mar 3, 06 |
| Nerve blocks | 1 | 10 | Dec 6, 04 |
| I've tried everything | 1 | 3 | Nov 2, 04 |
| Difficulty walking downhill only.. Sound otherwise | 1 | 19 | Feb 14, 05 |
| Lameness question | 1 | 7 | Oct 31, 04 |
| Shoulder Bursitis? | 1 | 7 | Oct 31, 04 |
| Unusual Heel Pain | 1 | 7 | Sep 1, 04 |
| Undiagnosed Lameness | 1 | 8 | Aug 23, 04 |
| Can there be a hoof abscess without heat? | 1 | 11 | Aug 31, 04 |
| Use of flexion test in pre-purchase exam when selling a horse | 1 | 16 | May 13, 05 |
| Bowed Tendons | 1 | 4 | Jul 26, 04 |
| Circle only lameness | 1 | 5 | Jul 21, 04 |
| Lameness improving with work? | 1 | 19 | Sep 13, 05 |
| Epiphysitis | 1 | 2 | Jul 3, 04 |
| Why can't I figure this out? | 1 | 8 | Jul 12, 04 |
| Infection surrounding hock after trauma | 1 | 21 | Jun 17, 04 |
| Is there a cure for sidebone? | 1 | 10 | May 6, 04 |
| Re: Abcess | 1 | 4 | May 4, 04 |
| Unknown diagnosis | 1 | 57 | Apr 21, 07 |
| Lameness in hindlegs - next step of diagnosis? | 1 | 29 | Aug 8, 04 |
| Cyst's in horses | 1 | 6 | Apr 8, 04 |
| Arthritis | 1 | 3 | Mar 20, 04 |
| Laminitis in 10 year old pony | 1 | 6 | Mar 2, 04 |
| Hoof Heat | 1 | 5 | May 9, 04 |
| !8 Month Old Colt Suffering from Tying Up | 1 | 17 | Jan 28, 04 |
| Cut through coronary band & into hoof | 1 | 7 | Dec 17, 03 |
| Abcess or Stiff Muscle? | 1 | 3 | Dec 11, 03 |
| Founder | 1 | 4 | Sep 29, 03 |
| Second Vet Opinion | 1 | 3 | Sep 11, 03 |
| Undiagnosed rear lameness | 1 | 3 | Aug 14, 03 |
| Sudden mysterious fore left lameness | 1 | 14 | Jun 28, 05 |
| Pedal osteitis | 1 | 4 | Jul 3, 03 |
| Horse on stall rest - Cold lower limb and foot | 1 | 3 | Jun 5, 03 |
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