title: Racing performance in Standardbred trotting horses with proximal palmar/plantar first phalangeal fragments relative to the timing of surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proximal palmar/plantar osteochondral fragmentation of the first phalanx is a frequent radiographic finding in Standardbred horses. These lesions are routinely removed prior to the onset of a racing career with no evidence to support the timing of this surgical intervention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether horses racing before surgery slowed as they approached surgery date and whether they speeded up after surgery. To investigate the factors affecting whether a horse raced after surgery and compare the performance of horses that did and did not race before surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study using 193 Swedish Standardbred trotters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records and radiographs of each horse were examined. Racing data were retrieved from official online records. Generalising estimating equations were used to examine presurgery racing performance and determine whether this differed between horses that raced before surgery and those that had not. Multivariable regression was used to examine career earnings and number of career races.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Horses racing before surgery neither slowed as they approached surgery, nor speeded up after surgery. Race speed of horses raced before surgery was not different from those that only raced after surgery. Racing before surgery was not associated with whether horses raced following surgery. Only horses with 3 affected legs had slower race speeds than other horses. No other horse level variables affected race speed, number of career races, career earnings or top speed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant difference in race speed between horses that raced before surgery and those that did not. Horses did not slow down prior to surgery. Horses with 3 affected legs ran slower than those with only a single or 2 affected limbs. There was no association between timing of surgery and race speed or career longevity. The potential benefits of surgical intervention should be critically examined.
authors: Hallands Djursjukhus, Slöinge, Sweden.|Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Carmalt
authors: Hallands Djursjukhus, Slöinge, Sweden.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Borg
authors: Hallands Djursjukhus, Slöinge, Sweden.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Näslund
authors: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Waldner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005552:Forelimb / Q000473:pathology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000473:pathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Birkeland; first phalanx; fractures; horse; racing; surgery