Racing performance of standardbreds after conservative and surgical treatment for tarsocrural osteochondrosis.
Abstract: A retrospective study of 114 Standardbred horses diagnosed with osteochondrosis (OC) of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia was carried out, and their subsequent race records were compared with 456 control horses. Each OC-affected horse was compared with 4 horses randomly selected from a list of horses matched to it by year of birth, sex and sire. The horses with OC were treated by arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments (N = 58) or managed conservatively (N = 56). The clinical presentation of these two groups was similar, although joint effusion was a more common presenting sign in the group that received surgical treatment. There was no association between presence of lameness and the type of treatment used. Data from the race records of treated and control horses (including the number of starts, lifetime earnings and record racing times) were compared. Overall, horses treated for OC had significantly fewer starts than, but earnings similar to, those in the control group. However, when stratification by sex was performed, females with OC made fewer starts and had lower earnings than did their control group. There was no significant difference in record time between OC-affected horses and controls. These results indicate that horses treated for osteochondrosis of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia performed as well as matched controls.
Publication Date: 1993-05-01 PubMed ID: 8508747DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02943.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the influence of two treatment methods for osteochondrosis, surgery and conservative treatment, on the racing performance of Standardbred horses. The study found that both treatment methods resulted in similar performance outcomes when compared to unaffected horses, although female horses showed decreased starts and earnings.
Objective and Methods
- The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of two treatment methods for osteochondrosis (OC), a degenerative bone disease, on the racing performance of Standardbred horses.
- Two distinct groups of horses, one that received surgical treatment and another that was conservatively managed, were compared with a control group of unaffected horses. The control group was comprised of four horses for every OC-affected horse, matched by birth year, sex, and sire.
Findings
- Horses underwent arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments as surgical treatment or conservative management for their condition.
- The study found that both OC-affected groups had a similar clinical presentation, although joint effusion was more common in the surgical treatment group.
- The type of treatment was not associated with the presence of lameness in the horses.
- On comparing the race records, it emerged that horses treated for OC had fewer starts than those in the control group but earned similar amount overall.
Sex-based Findings
- When the data was stratified by sex, however, it was found that female horses with OC had fewer starts and also earned less when compared to their matched control counterparts.
- There was no significant difference in terms of race record time between OC-affected horses and control horses.
Conclusions
- The results indicate that, regardless of the type of treatment, horses with osteochondrosis of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia performed overall as well as their unaffected counterparts.
- However, female horses with OC may potentially have a less successful racing career than those unaffected by the disease.
Cite This Article
APA
Laws EG, Richardson DW, Ross MW, Moyer W.
(1993).
Racing performance of standardbreds after conservative and surgical treatment for tarsocrural osteochondrosis.
Equine Vet J, 25(3), 199-202.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02943.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square 19348.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Arthroscopy / veterinary
- Breeding
- Female
- Horse Diseases / economics
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Income
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Male
- Osteochondritis / economics
- Osteochondritis / surgery
- Osteochondritis / therapy
- Osteochondritis / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Sex Factors
- Sports
- Tarsus, Animal
- Tibia
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- McCoy AM, Ralston SL, McCue ME. Short- and long-term racing performance of Standardbred pacers and trotters after early surgical intervention for tarsal osteochondrosis. Equine Vet J 2015 Jul;47(4):438-44.
- Vos NJ. Incidence of osteochondrosis (dissecans) in Dutch warmblood horses presented for pre-purchase examination. Ir Vet J 2008 Jan 1;61(1):33-7.
- Verwilghen DR, Martens A, Busschers E, Franck T, Deberg M, Henrotin Y, Vanderheyden L, Serteyn D. Coll2-1, Coll2-1NO2 and myeloperoxidase concentrations in the synovial fluid of equine tarsocrural joints affected with osteochondrosis. Vet Res Commun 2011 Oct;35(7):401-8.
- Fubini SL, Erb HN, Freeman KP, Todhunter RJ. Prognostic factors affecting survival of 507 horses with joint disease: (1983 to 1990). Can J Vet Res 1999 Oct;63(4):253-60.
- Dolvik NI, Klemetsdal G. The effect of arthritis in the carpal joint on performance in Norwegian cold-blooded trotters. Vet Res Commun 1996;20(6):505-12.
- Coluccia P, Gizzarelli M, Scicluna MT, Manna G, Foglia Manzillo V, Buono F, Auletta L, Palumbo V, Pasolini MP. A cross-sectional study on performance evaluation in Italian standardbred horses' real-time PCR-positive for Theileria equi. BMC Vet Res 2024 Mar 5;20(1):79.
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