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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Radiographic Appearance of the Fore Digit and Carpal Joint i...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(15); doi: 10.3390/ani13152417

Radiographic Appearance of the Fore Digit and Carpal Joint in the Mule Foal from Birth to 3 Months of Age.

Abstract: Few studies have established the normal radiographic anatomical development of the donkey foal and, to date, no data are available for mules. Our aim was thus to evaluate the radiographic development of the fore digit and carpal joint in the mule foal from 0 to 3 months of age. Ten forelimbs of five healthy full-term mule foals were included. Radiographs of the fore digit lateromedial and dorsopalmar and the carpus dorsopalmar were performed weekly for the first month of age, and bi-monthly during the following two months. Fore digit growth plate closure times, morphological, angular, and linear radiographic parameters, and also carpal cuboidal bone mineralization were evaluated. Growth plates were graded as open, closing, and closed. Carpal bone appearance was graded as mature, slightly immature, or immature. Growth plate closure times showed the following: middle phalangeal distal physis (DP) closed at birth, and proximal physis (PP) started to close at around two months; first phalanx DP closed at seven days, and PP started to close at three months; and third metacarpal bone DP started to close at two months. Carpal bones were immature at birth. Distal phalanx (PD) was triangular at birth, palmar processes had developed by one month, and proximal sesamoid bones were trapezoidal by three months. The hoof wall, PD dorsal wall, and palmar angles values changed in parallel, and hoof capsule thickness increased. No PD remodeling evidence within the hoof capsule or variations in the hoof axis with growth were found. We identified a baseline for the interpretation of forelimb radiological features in mule foals. The specific features found were intermediate between those found in horses and donkeys.
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Publication Date: 2023-07-26 PubMed ID: 37570226PubMed Central: PMC10417842DOI: 10.3390/ani13152417Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

The research paper discusses the study of radiographic development in the forelimbs of mule foals from birth to the age of three months. The study is notable for being the first to provide data concerning mules, where previous research has often concentrated solely on horses and donkeys.

Objective of the Study

  • The primary objective of this study was to examine and record the radiographic development of the fore digit and carpal joint in mule foals over a period of three months.

Method

  • A group of five healthy, full-term mule foals were selected for the study. A total of ten forelimbs were analyzed.
  • Radiographs were taken from different angles on a weekly basis for the first month, and then bi-weekly for the subsequent two months. These radiographs focused on different aspects of the forelimb, including growth plate closure times, morphological features, angular and linear parameters, and bone mineralization.

Findings

  • The study found a specific pattern in the closure times of the growth plates: the middle phalangeal distal physis was closed at birth; the first phalanx distal physis closed after seven days, while the third metacarpal bone distal physis began to close after two months.
  • Carpal bones were found to be immature at birth. The distal phalanx was triangular at birth, then the palmar processes developed by reaching one month. By three months, the proximal sesamoid bones were trapezoidal.
  • The hoof wall, distal phalanx dorsal wall, and palmar angles values were observed to change in parallel to each other and the thickness of the hoof capsule increased over time.
  • The study did not find any evidence of distal phalanx remodeling within the hoof capsule or variations in the hoof axis with growth.

Conclusion

  • The study established a baseline for understanding and interpreting forelimb radiological features in mule foals.
  • The specific features identified were intermediate between those typically observed in horses and donkeys.

Cite This Article

APA
Nocera I, Sorvillo B, Sgorbini M, Aliboni B, Citi S. (2023). Radiographic Appearance of the Fore Digit and Carpal Joint in the Mule Foal from Birth to 3 Months of Age. Animals (Basel), 13(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152417

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 15

Researcher Affiliations

Nocera, Irene
  • Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Via Santa Cecilia 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Via Livornese snc, 56122 Pisa, Italy.
Sorvillo, Benedetta
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Via Livornese snc, 56122 Pisa, Italy.
Sgorbini, Micaela
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Via Livornese snc, 56122 Pisa, Italy.
Aliboni, Benedetta
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Via Livornese snc, 56122 Pisa, Italy.
Citi, Simonetta
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Via Livornese snc, 56122 Pisa, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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