Osteochondrosis (OCD) is a common issue in a young horse's joints, characterized by loose cartilage and/or bone fragments found in the joint capsule. Though it can sound scary, many OCD lesions heal on their own within a few months, making the condition temporary.
OCDs that don't heal on their own, however, can cause permanent issues if not dealt with.
The issue varies from horse to horse and its severity may be linked to the environment, genetics or the breed of horse, reports The Horse. Osteochondrosis occurs only in young horses: as the bones lengthen, cartilage is laid down at the end of a bone where it meets another bone; this cartilage eventually turns to bone through ossification. OCDs occur when there is a blood flow issue during the ossification process; these lesions can occur in any joint, though the fetlocks, hocks and stifles are the most prevalent joints affected.
Why blood flow to the ends of some bones isn't adequate isn't well understood, but it could be the result of biology, a bacterial infection in the joint, trauma, or physical damage. Osteochondrosis research shows that as many as 50 percent of Dutch Warmblood and Standardbred foals may have OCDs.
OCDs occur only in domesticated horses. This implies that osteochondrosis is heritable and that selective breeding has exacerbated the problem, possibly by breeding for faster-growing, bigger horses. This does not, however, mean that we can eradicate the issue by breeding only non-affected horses as the disease is so complex.
Nutrition can also exacerbate osteochondrosis formation if a young horse is fed high-energy meals, which causes them to grow faster. Foals that are kept in stalls also are at greater risk of developing OCDs.
Often diagnosed when the horse presents with pain and swelling, OCDs in fetlocks and stifles will often heal on their own if the horse is under 18 months old. OCDs in the femur resolve well in nearly all instances; hock lesions are 60 percent likely to heal on their own and fetlock lesions heal on their own 50 percent of the time.
In joints that don't heal on their own, arthroscopic surgery is often performed to remove the offending pieces of bone or cartilage from the joint. Surgery can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in the joint, increase sale value and improve performance.
Read more at The Horse.
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