Effects of high doses of oxytetracycline on metacarpophalangeal joint kinematics in neonatal foals.

The research article presents a study investigating the impact of high doses of oxytetracycline on the joint movement of neonatal foals. The findings indicate significant changes in the maximum joint angle and range of motion, although no significant changes were observed in stride duration, stance phase percentage, and minimum joint angle.

Objective of the Research

• The research aimed to study the effects of administering high doses of oxytetracycline to newborn foals and its impact on the kinematics of their metacarpophalangeal joint, an essential joint in the horse’s front leg.

Methodology

• The study was conducted on thirteen clinically normal Belgian-type foals divided into two groups – a treatment group of seven foals received two doses of oxytetracycline, while a control group of six foals received equivalent doses of saline solution.
• The first dose was administered when the foals were 4 days old and the second dose 24 hours later. This procedure was identical for both the treatment and control groups.
• Prior to treatment and 24 hours post the second treatment, all foals were videotaped during a walk. Their movements were analyzed by digitizing the tapes and measuring the metacarpophalangeal joint angle during three strides.
• The data collected were normalized for time, and the results of the three strides were averaged to represent a stride.
• Repeating measures ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) was used to test for differences within and between the groups over time.

Findings and Conclusion

• The research found no significant differences in stride duration, stance phase percentage, and minimum metacarpophalangeal joint angle before and after treatment for both groups.
• However, the maximum metacarpophalangeal joint angle and range of motion were significantly larger for the treatment group than the control group. This result was observed during the stance phase of the stride.
• These findings suggest that high doses of oxytetracycline cause marked alterations in joint kinematics, leading to increased joint flexibility in neonatal foals.