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Home / Equine Research Bank / Braz J Vet Med / Objective lameness assessment of 235 horses undergoing lamen...
Brazilian journal of veterinary medicine2025; 47; e008224; doi: 10.29374/2527-2179.bjvm008224

Objective lameness assessment of 235 horses undergoing lameness examination in Brazil: A retrospective study.

Abstract: Lameness, which arises from functional or structural changes in the limbs or axial skeleton, causes asymmetry in the movement of the equine head and/or pelvis. This study aimed to investigate the lameness patterns of horses that underwent lameness examination or monitoring during the years 2016 to 2020. This retrospective study used data from the lameness examination, evaluated using an objective assessment with body-mounted wireless inertial sensors. The lameness examination comprised clinical history, static inspection, palpation, gait evaluation (for which the animals were equipped with a wireless inertial sensor system), flexion tests, lunging examination, diagnostic anesthetic blocks, and imaging examinations. Based on objective assessment data, the condition of lameness, limb with primary lameness, type of lameness, intensity, and location of lameness were determined. Of the 235 animals included in this study, 93,6% presented lameness. Of the animals with lameness, 59,5% had forelimb lameness and 40,5% had hindlimb lameness. The most frequent lameness condition was primary lameness in one limb and secondary lameness in the other. Impact lameness was the most frequent type in both the forelimb and hindlimb. Moderate-to-severe lameness was the most frequent level of intensity. Regarding the lameness location, in the forelimb, the distal region was the most affected, while in the hindlimb, the proximal lower region was the most affected. We conclude that forelimb lameness is more frequent in horses examined in southern Brazil and mainly affects the distal limb region. A claudicação, decorrente de alterações funcionais ou estruturais dos membros ou do esqueleto axial, causa assimetria no movimento da cabeça e/ou pelve equina. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os padrões de claudicação de um grupo de cavalos apresentados para exame ou monitoramento de claudicação, durante os anos de 2016 a 2020. Este estudo retrospectivo utilizou dados do exame de claudicação, avaliados por meio de avaliação objetiva com sensores inerciais sem fio montados no corpo. O exame de claudicação consistiu em história clínica, inspeção estática, palpação, avaliação da marcha (para a qual os animais foram equipados com um sistema de sensor inercial sem fio), testes de flexão, exame de avanço, bloqueios anestésicos diagnósticos e exames de imagem. Com base nos dados da avaliação objetiva, foram determinados a condição de claudicação, o membro com claudicação primária, o tipo de claudicação, a intensidade e a localização da claudicação. Dos 235 animais incluídos no estudo, 93,6% apresentaram claudicação. Dos casos de claudicação, 59,5% apresentaram claudicação de membro anterior e 40,5% de membro posterior. De acordo com a condição de claudicação, a mais frequente foi a claudicação primária em um membro e secundária no outro. A claudicação de impacto foi o tipo mais frequente, tanto no membro anterior quanto no membro posterior. A claudicação moderada a grave foi o nível de intensidade mais frequente. Quanto à localização da claudicação, no membro anterior, a região distal foi a mais acometida, e no membro posterior, a região proximal inferior foi a mais acometida. Concluímos que a claudicação de membro anterior é mais frequente em equinos examinados no sul do Brasil, acometendo principalmente a região distal do membro.
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Publication Date: 2025-05-22 PubMed ID: 40417262PubMed Central: PMC12101475DOI: 10.29374/2527-2179.bjvm008224Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article focuses on studying lameness patterns of horses in Brazil from 2016 to 2020. The researchers found that out of 235 inspected horses, 93.6% exhibited lameness, with the forelimb being the most affected area.

Study Overview

  • A total of 235 horses, which exhibited symptoms of lameness between 2016 and 2020, were involved in this research study conducted in southern Brazil.
  • The assessment of lameness involved a detailed examination that included a clinical history review, static inspection, palpation, and gait evaluation using a body-mounted wireless inertial sensor system.
  • The researchers also performed flexion tests, lunging examination, diagnostic anesthetic blocks, and imaging examinations.

Results of the Study

  • Out of the total horses examined, an alarming 93.6% presented with symptoms of lameness.
  • When the location of lameness was investigated, a majority 59.5% showed lameness in the forelimb, whereas 40.5% exhibited lameness in the hindlimb.
  • The most frequently observed lameness condition was primary lameness in one limb, coupled with secondary lameness in the other limb.
  • Looking at the type of lameness, impact lameness was the most common in both the forelimb and hindlimb.
  • The severity of lameness was weighed, and moderate to severe lameness was most frequently observed.
  • In terms of specific location within the limbs, the distal region in the forelimb was most affected, while the proximal lower region in the hindlimb had the highest incidence of lameness.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that lameness, specifically in the forelimb, is a common condition among horses examined in southern Brazil.
  • The distal region of the affected limb was identified as the most impacted area. Further awareness and immediate addressing of this health concern in horses are necessitated.

Cite This Article

APA
Rodrigues APDC, Pozzobon R, De Bastiani G, De La Côrte FD, Azevedo MDS. (2025). Objective lameness assessment of 235 horses undergoing lameness examination in Brazil: A retrospective study. Braz J Vet Med, 47, e008224. https://doi.org/10.29374/2527-2179.bjvm008224

Publication

Brazilian journal of veterinary medicine
ISSN: 2527-2179
NlmUniqueID: 9918435088106676
Country: Brazil
Language: English
Volume: 47
Pages: e008224

Researcher Affiliations

Rodrigues, Ana Paula da Costa
  • Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal, Setor de Clínica e Cirurgia de Grandes Animais, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
Pozzobon, Ricardo
  • Departamento de Clínicas de Grandes Animais, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
De Bastiani, Grasiela
  • Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
De La Côrte, Flávio Desessards
  • Departamento de Clínicas de Grandes Animais, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
Azevedo, Marcos da Silva
  • Setor de Clínica e Cirurgia de Grandes animais, UNIPAMPA, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Conflict of interests: No competing interests have been declared.

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