title: Enthesopathy and desmitis of the medial collateral ligament of the cubital joint in 4 horses.
abstract: METHODS
  4 horses with enthesopathy and desmitis of the medial collateral ligament of the cubital joint were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 4 horses had a history of acute, severe, unilateral forelimb lameness and had signs of pain during manipulation of the affected upper forelimb; 2 also had swelling in the axillary region. There was no improvement in lameness after diagnostic local analgesia below the carpal region, and 1 of 4 horses had mild improvement after cubital joint analgesia. Radiography revealed enthesophyte formation on the radial tuberosity and linear mineralization of the medial collateral ligament in 2 horses and periosteal reaction on the humeral condyle in all 4 horses. One horse had mild osteoarthritis of the cubital joint, and 3 had osteophytosis of the cranial aspect of the radius. Although all horses were initially examined because of an acute onset of lameness, all had chronic abnormalities visible on imaging. Ultrasonography revealed an irregular boney contour and enthesopathy at the insertion of the short medial collateral ligament to the radial tuberosity and desmitis of the short medial collateral ligament. Two horses had radiographic evidence of similar but less severe lesions of the contralateral cubital joint.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All horses received phenylbutazone and rest. All horses were free of lameness after a median of 3 months (range, 2 to 4 months) and returned to previous use after a median of 6 months (range, 3 to 8 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present report suggested that performance horses with enthesopathy and desmitis of the medial collateral ligament of the cubital joint may have a good prognosis for return to previous use following appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. rdabareiner@cvm.tamu.edu
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dabareiner
authors.forename: M Keith
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chaffin
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quirham
authors.forename: G Kent
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005552:Forelimb / Q000473:pathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006736:Horses; D007794:Lameness, Animal; D008022:Ligaments / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012146:Rest; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010653:Phenylbutazone