Physitis is a common condition in rapidly growing horses.It causes painful swelling of the physes, or growth plates, just above the knees, hocks, or fetlocks.It
can be a component of osteochondrosis
Causes
Second increase body weight is to early to accommodate.
When the demands on the growth cartilage exceed its ability to produce new bone, problems develop.
Signs
Swelling of the affected physes.
This swelling is firm, warm, and painful.
One side of physics is more swollen than other.
The condition is usually bilateral.
Foals and young horses with physitis may be stiff-gaited or lame.
Treatment
Treatment consists of reducing food intake to reduce body weight or at least growth rate; confining exercise to a yard or a large, well-ventilated loose box with a soft surface
The calcium:phosphorus ratio should be adjusted to 1.6:1, and protein content limited to <10% of dry matter.
In general terms, bran should not be fed, and dicalcium phosphate or bone flour (10–30 g daily) should be added to the diet.
Limiting the young horse's activity to daily short periods of voluntary exercise.
Complete restriction may result in flexural limb deformities, so some forms of light exercise should be encouraged each day.
The diet should be examined and any imbalances corrected.
In particular, the amount of carbohydrate should be reduced to a maintanence level.
NSAIDs should be given to reduce pain.
References
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/musculoskeletal_system/lameness_in_horses/physitis_in_horses.html
Lameness
Equine Research by Christine King and Richard Mansmann
- malnutrition,
- conformational defects,
- faulty hoof growth,
- excessive exercise,
- obesity, and toxicosis
- Nutritional factors play a key role.
- Physitis is most common in large, rapidly growing foals.
- stud farms where the calcium:phosphorus ratio in the diet is imbalanced.
- These foals are fed more carbohydrate than they need.
- Physitis most commonly involves the distal extremities of the radius, tibia, third metacarpal or metatarsal bone, and the proximal aspect of the first phalanx.
- overload of the physeal area due to excessive loading or weakened bone and/or cartilage
Second increase body weight is to early to accommodate.
When the demands on the growth cartilage exceed its ability to produce new bone, problems develop.
Signs
Swelling of the affected physes.
This swelling is firm, warm, and painful.
One side of physics is more swollen than other.
The condition is usually bilateral.
Foals and young horses with physitis may be stiff-gaited or lame.
Treatment
Treatment consists of reducing food intake to reduce body weight or at least growth rate; confining exercise to a yard or a large, well-ventilated loose box with a soft surface
The calcium:phosphorus ratio should be adjusted to 1.6:1, and protein content limited to <10% of dry matter.
In general terms, bran should not be fed, and dicalcium phosphate or bone flour (10–30 g daily) should be added to the diet.
Limiting the young horse's activity to daily short periods of voluntary exercise.
Complete restriction may result in flexural limb deformities, so some forms of light exercise should be encouraged each day.
The diet should be examined and any imbalances corrected.
In particular, the amount of carbohydrate should be reduced to a maintanence level.
NSAIDs should be given to reduce pain.
References
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/musculoskeletal_system/lameness_in_horses/physitis_in_horses.html
Lameness
Equine Research by Christine King and Richard Mansmann
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