Gross Pathology: Suppurative osteomyelitis and periostitis with osteolysis and necrosis of bone and cartilage of the left rear cannon bone, with extension into the fetlock joint (suppurative arthritis), were observed. A patent urachus with chronic fibrinopurulent and necrotizing omphalitis with fibrosis was also present. The right rear cannon bone had a well-demarcated focus of thickened distal...

This case report describes the diagnosis and surgical treatment of unilateral polydactylism of unknown origin in a calf. A six-week-old female German Holstein-Friesian calf was referred to the clinic with a hyperflexion of the fetlock and carpal joints of the right forelimb, associated with two surplus digits in the same leg, which was confirmed by radiographic examination. Surgery consisted of...

A 6-year-old thoroughbred gelding was admitted to the clinic with acute severe lameness and swelling of front limb fetlock area. The traditional examination methods (clinical, radiography, ultrasonography) were insufficient identify exact pathological changes causing lameness. Despite conservative treatment, condition horse deteriorated euthanized after 15 days. diagnosis determined by post mor...

The following case report describes the diagnosis and surgery of bilateral polydactyly of unknown origin in a dromedary camel. A two-year-old, 290 kg, intact female camel was admitted for surgical removal of bilateral supernumerary digits associated with the medial aspects of the metacarpi and proximal to the fetlock joints. Radiographic examination revealed bilateral polydactyly with complete ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate a novel optical method to determine the three dimensional (3-D) structure of articular cartilage collagen non-destructively. METHODS Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography was used to determine the apparent optical birefringence of articular cartilage for a number of different illumination directions. A quantitative method based on the theory of light pro...

BACKGROUND Joint impact injuries initiate a progressive articular damage finally leading to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Racehorses represent an ideal, naturally available, animal model of the disease. Standardbred racehorses developing traumatic osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint during the first year of their career were enrolled in our study. Age-matched controls were contemporaril...

Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a major cause of reduced athletic function and retirement in equine performers. For this reason, regenerative therapies for DJD have gained increasing interest. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from a 6-year-old donor horse. MSCs were either used in their native state or after chondrogenic induction. In an initial stu...

Left-right symmetrical distal limb conformation can be an important prerequisite for a successful performance, and it is often hypothesized that asymmetric or uneven feet are important enhancing factors for the development of lameness. On a population level, it has been demonstrated that uneven footed horses are retiring earlier from elite level competition, but the biomechanical consequences a...

The present study was designed to carry out an in vivo and in vitro comparative evaluation of three bio-scaffold augmentation devices used for superficial digital flexor tenorrhaphy in donkeys. Twenty-four clinically healthy donkeys were assigned for three treatment trials (n = 8) using one of three bioscaffold materials (glycerolized bovine pericardium xenograft, tendon allograft and allograft...