Osteoarthritis – not just a disease of older horses. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of lameness, poor performance and premature retirement in racehorses. It should not be considered as a problem just in “older” horses, as early stages of osteoarthritis can develop in horses as young as two years old. Arthritis does […]
Angular limb deformities (ALD) occur in foals and if left untreated may result in lameness and poor performance as adults. These deformities can be present at birth or develop as the foal ages. The most common sites for ALD’s are at the level of the growth plate such as the distal radius (carpus/knee) and distal […]
Arthroscopic surgery makes up around 40% of all surgical procedures undertaken at GCEC. Similar to human ‘keyhole’ surgery, this technique allows us to perform a minimally invasive approach to evaluate joint surfaces and treat abnormalities such as osteochondral fragmentation (bone chips). There has been much research into the cause of bone chips within horse’s joints. […]
You may not think that your horse has gastric (stomach) ulcers but research shows that up to 93% of thoroughbred racehorses in training have gastric ulceration. The percentage of affected horses kept at pasture is also very high. Recent data also indicates that poor athletic performance is a key manifestation of the disease. What Causes […]
Castration can be performed in horses under general anaesthesia or under sedation with the horse standing. Complications are uncommon but can include excessive bleeding, infection and swelling. Standing castration is performed much less commonly and carries an increased risk for the safety of the veterinarian, handler and horse. The cord is not sutured and there […]