Conservative treatment of intra-articular distal phalanx fractures in horses not used for racing.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the success rate and whether specific patient and treatment factors influenced the outcome after conservative treatment with a bar shoe with quarter clips of intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx in horses not used for racing.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Thirty-two client-owned horses.


METHODS
Hospital records of horses that had been treated conservatively for intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx at Skara Equine Hospital or Halland Animal Hospital in Sweden between 1995 and 2001 were reviewed. Racehorses in active training and horses affected with other musculoskeletal diseases were excluded from the study. Follow-up was performed by questionnaire and telephone inquires to the owners 1 to 7 years after injury.


RESULTS
Twenty-two horses (69%) returned to their previous or expected level of use and did not wear their bar shoe when they were put back into training. There was no statistically significant correlation between outcome and patient or treatment variables, or bony union of the fracture.


CONCLUSIONS
Conservative treatment of intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx carries a fair prognosis for return to previous or expected level of use in horses not used for racing. Radiographic evidence of fracture healing and age of the patient do not seem to influence the prognosis. Horses not used for racing do not need to be shod with a bar shoe with quarter clips for the rest of their athletic career.
Ohlsson
J
J
Skara Equine Hospital, Gråbrödragatan 6, 532 31 Skara, Sweden.
Jansson
N
N
D000818:Animals; D016267:External Fixators / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005552:Forelimb / Q000293:injuries; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries*; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D011996:Records / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013639:Tarsal Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome