Equine
Osteochondritis Dissecan
By Dr. Lauren Lamb
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which the cartilage and subchondral bone in the joints fail to develop normally. The cartilage and subchondral bone play a major role in keeping a joint healthy and preventing the development of osteoarthritis.
When a fragment of abnormal cartilage and subchondral bone become dislodged, the disease is renamed to osteochondritis dissecan. These free floating fragments can become lodged between two opposing articular surfaces within the joint. If the osteochondritis dissecan fragment gets lodged between articular surfaces, significant damage to the cartilage can occur along with severe lameness. For the purpose of this paper, Osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecan will be referred to as OCD.
OCDs are seen predominately in young horses less than two years of age. A lot of times the horse will have an OCD at the age of six months, but it is not diagnosed until the horse is put into training as a yearling or two-year-old. OCDs can be seen in all breeds of horses, but some breeds like Warmbloods and Standardbreds are more predisposed. The fetlocks, hocks and stifles are the most commonly affected joints; however, any joint can be affected. A horse with an OCD will frequently have bilateral joints affected, meaning both the left and right leg will be affected.
Despite extensive time and funds dedicated to research, the cause of OCDs has not been defined. This is largely due to the multiple variables and risk factors that can play a role in a horse developing an OCD. The risk factors for OCDs can be broken down into environmental and genetic. Genetic factors are thought to account for 25 to 50 percent of the disease risk. Some research has shown that large body size, which can also be linked to genetics, can be a risk factor for OCDs. Environmental factors that can increase the risk of OCDs include copper deficiency, high phosphorus intake relative to calcium intake and irregular/intense exercise.
The best way to reduce the risk of your horse developing an OCD is to make sure it is being fed a well-balanced diet with sufficient copper, low phosphorous and high calcium levels. Foals need to have daily exercise so the cartilage and subchondral bone in the joint can properly develop. They should be allowed free turnout exercise in a paddock with even footing. Forced exercise should be avoided for the first six to nine months of life. During the first few months of life, the cartilage and subchondral bone in a foal’s joints are developing. This, coincidentally, is also the time when most OCD lesions develop.
To read more pick up a copy of the September 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Phillip Kitts
The mystique and imagined glory of the rodeo road call many young people’s names. As they grow up, they watch the greats of the sport run from rodeo to rodeo and occasionally land on the television giving the perception of the rockstar lifestyle.
No, the glory of the rodeo road is not as grand as, say, the National Football League or the National Basketball Association, but being an athlete competing in front of the yellow chutes of Vegas is just as big a deal, and in every way, can be compared to competing in a Super Bowl.
However, things sure are different in the rodeo world. Let us take a minute and talk about what seem to be simple things in life that impact rodeo and rodeo athletes that in no way would make a difference to the big-money sports.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Garrett Metcalf, DVM
It is common for horse owners to have a horse with a wound or laceration at some point in their life. Sometimes small lacerations can be perceived as benign, inconsequential problems that do not need immediate veterinary attention and are managed by the owners or trainers initially. Unfortunately, these simple-looking wounds can involve very important anatomical structures that can lead to serious infections that can be life-threatening or, at best career-limiting, for the horse.
Large wounds tend to get all the attention from owners or trainers because when they occur they are so obvious and visually appalling that medical attention is sought almost immediately. Those types of large wounds can be devastating, but they often involve the upper body regions of the horse, which heal better and often don’t involve structures such as joints or tendons.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Phillip Kitts
Have you ever wondered what the rodeo looks like for contract personnel in the winter?
This month we will look at what the winter months look like from the rodeo photographer’s perspective.
To understand the time and demands that go into a career as a rodeo photographer, let’s start at when the season gets busy. Not all rodeo photographers work the same. There are many varieties in their career field. They can vary from the few weekends here and there to the full-timer who travels more than 30 weekends a year.
The full-timer that spends most of their year working usually hits the road in late winter. Yes, the winter months are slower but the photographer who has cemented themselves into the field usually books a few during late winter.
Rolling into the spring it begins to get busy. Depending on the photographer, spring can start with an every other weekend type schedule all the way to every weekend through the summer. In 2023 there were photographers that had 20-plus weeks straight going from rodeo to rodeo.
When late fall rolls in things begin to slow down, even for the go-getter who books everything they can.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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