Conservative treatment of intra-articular distal phalanx fractures in horses not used for racing.

The research focused on the effectiveness of non-surgical treatment in horses with intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx. They found that conservative treatment using a special type of horseshoe (a bar shoe with quarter clips) resulted in 69% of non-race horses returning to or even exceeding their pre-injury use level, demonstrating a fair prognosis for this method of treatment.

Study Overview

• The research was conducted retrospectively wherein researchers examined hospital records of horses treated for intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx within a 6-year period (1995 to 2001). However, actively training racehorses and those affected with other musculoskeletal diseases were excluded from the study.
• The data collection process consisted of reviewing hospital records and conducting follow-up surveys and phone interviews with the horse owners 1 to 7 years post-injury.

Results Analysis

• The results revealed that approximately 69% of the horses were able to return to their previous or anticipated level of functionality after being treated conservatively using a bar shoe with quarter clips. This finding disproves any initial assumptions that conservative treatment would significantly compromise the future performance of the horse.
• Furthermore, it was found that there was no significant correlation between the outcome and factors such as patient variables, treatment variables, or the bony union of the fracture. This signifies that the success of the conservative treatment did not depend on the specifics of the horse’s condition or the implementation of the treatment.

Conclusions and Implications

• The research concluded that conservative treatment using a bar shoe with quarter clips for intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx has a reasonable expected success rate for horses that are not used for racing.
• The results imply that the age of the horse or radiographic evidence of fracture healing does not influence the prognosis, refuting any preconceived beliefs regarding these factors.
• The study’s conclusions also dispel the notion that horses treated non-surgically for such fractures need to be fitted with a bar shoe with quarter clips for the rest of their athletic career.