Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lame horse or mule with underdeveloped toes - what to know
By Bertone, A L & Aanes, W A·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1984·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Congenital phalangeal hypoplasia in Equidae.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at three cases of a condition called congenital phalangeal hypoplasia, which means the bones in the feet didn't develop properly, in two horses and one mule. X-rays showed that the third bone in the foot was severely underdeveloped, and in two of the cases, the second bone was also underdeveloped. Additionally, two of the animals had issues with another small bone in the foot. While all three animals were able to walk, they showed signs of lameness, and two had noticeable looseness around the area where the hoof meets the leg. The exact cause of this condition wasn't clear, but it might be due to genetics or environmental factors.
Abstract
Three cases of unilateral congenital phalangeal hypoplasia are described in 2 horses and 1 mule. Radiographic lesions include severe hypoplasia of the 3rd phalanx, and associated hypoplasia of the 2nd phalanx in 2 cases, and hypoplasia or aplasia of the navicular bone in 2 cases. All animals could ambulate but were lame. Two cases had palpable laxity at the level of the coronary band. Documented etiology was not determined for the dysgenesis, but possibilities include inherited transmission or an environmental teratogen.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6480478/