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Study: Surgical Intervention For Specific Poll Injuries Is Often Successful

Horses suffering from poll injures involving the cranial nuchal bursa often behave in very specific ways, reports EQUUS magazine. They often stretch down their neck and carry their heads low, and they are often reluctant to flex through their poll and avoid being on the bit.

Bursa are fluid-filled sacs found between bones. The soft tissue is designed to ease friction between the two structures. The cranial nuchal bursa is located between the nuchal ligament and the atlas vertebra.
Inflammation in this bursa, called cranial nuchal bursitis, can cause pain, limited flexion and decreased athletic performance. A study has shown that surgical intervention is often successful in treating this injury.

Dr. José M. García-López, of Tufts University, led a research team in reviewing the records of 35 horses diagnosed with cranial nuchal bursitis over the past 25 years.

The horses were between 5 and 22 years old, with a median age of 13. The majority of the horses were sport horses, primarily competing in dressage, which García-López noted may support the idea that specific ways of going could encourage the development of cranial nuchal bursitis.

Records showed that 14 of the horses were treated with anti-inflammatories, while the rest underwent a minimally invasive surgery to correct the problem. The surgery, called a bursoscopy, allows a surgeon to flush and remove debris from the bursa.

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The researchers found that 78.6 percent of the horses which underwent surgery returned to their previous level of work, while 66.7 percent of horses which received only medication were able to return to work. The horses that responded well to non-medical management generally presented with solely fluid accumulation, with minimal debris in the bursa or synovial thickening.

García-López and his team concluded that horses with bursa inflammation alone could be treated with anti-inflammatory medication; however, if debris is present in the bursa, surgery is recommended. The sooner the surgery is performed, the more likely the horse will return to an athletic career.

Not Hot To Trot? Underlying Pain May Be To Blame

If a normally game, non-gaited horse begins showing signs of reluctance to trot, but instead paces or breaks into the canter, a call to the vet may be in order, Dr. Bruce Connally of Wyoming Equine in Berthoud, Colorado, tells EQUUS magazine.

A horse suddenly is unwilling to go forward or one that has a significant gait change (like refusing to trot, but being willing to pace) is trying to tell his rider that something is amiss. Loping or gaiting instead of trotting can be ways in which horses seek to minimize pain.

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If the horse is older, arthritis may be to blame. Other possibilities include foot pain, neurologic pain like equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) or pain in the back or pelvis. The outcome, including the possibility of continued riding, is dependent on the veterinarian's findings.

‘How Saddle Fit Affects Performance, Lameness And Shoeing’ Webinar Presented By Cornell Equine

Horse owners and farriers are very aware that poor fitting horseshoes can cause discomfort and lameness in horses. Unfortunately, many do not realize that poor fitting saddles can cause lameness, gait faults, shoeing problems and even personality problems. Ways to assure a reasonable saddle fit to prevent complications with your horse will be presented during the College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Seminar Series, on Tuesday, September 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Steve Kraus is an American Farriers Association, Certified Journeyman Farrier who has been the head of Farrier Services and a Sr. Lecturer of Large Animal Surgery, at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and the instructor of the Farrier School there since 2010. Prior to that, he worked for over 40 years in his own farrier business in Central New York. He is known for troubleshooting lame, injured and underperforming horses and has shod horses of practically every breed and discipline. He has lectured to farriers, veterinarians and horse owners all over the US, Canada, South America and Europe. He has been a featured speaker at the International Hoof Care Summit, Laminitis Conference, Equine Affaire and the American Farriers Association Convention. Steve has written many articles published in the American Farriers Journal, The Horse Journal and The Professional Farrier. In 2016, he was inducted into the International Farriers Hall of Fame.

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The Cornell Equine Seminar Series is presented by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Hospital, the New York State 4-H Horse Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Held monthly, equine experts present on important equine health and management topics. The event is free and open to the public. Register here.

Researchers Seek Behavior Clues To Better Equine Health

A grimace, a shift in gait or stance. Subtle behavioral signs can tell owners and handlers a lot about the health and welfare of their horses, ponies, mules and donkeys. And that's what three newly funded equine behavior and health research teams are counting on.

In one study, researchers at Utrecht University, Netherlands, are validating an easy-to-use questionnaire to help owners recognize and monitor behavioral signs of chronic osteoarthritis pain in their horses. Osteoarthritis in horses often goes unrecognized and untreated. This new tool may help owners and veterinarians better monitor treatment effectiveness and pain progression, and inform quality-of-life decisions.

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Next, University of California, Davis, researchers are trying to find better ways of recognizing pain in mules. The team is using a combination of facial expressions (called a grimace scale) and Smart Halter, a new technology to monitor physical signs of pain, including heart rate and respiration.

They hope these easy-to-use tools will improve pain management for mules, helping veterinarians, sanctuaries and nonprofit organizations care for these increasingly popular animals.

Finally, researchers at the University of Bologna, Italy, are working to improve the welfare of unbroken horses transported over long distances. Finding a reliable way, including behavioral cues, to distinguish between broken (well-handled) and unbroken (unhandled) horses, will ensure these animals are transported in accordance with strict regulations based on their status, reducing their mental and physical distress during travel.

Morris Animal Foundation has long recognized the connection between behavior and the health and welfare of animals. Identifying specific behaviors associated with pain and stress, especially at early stages, will help guide interventions and improve the well-being of horses, ponies, mules and donkeys everywhere.