Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Necrosis of the femoral condyles in a four-week-old foal: clinical, imaging and histopathological features.
- Journal:
- Equine veterinary journal. Supplement
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Haggett, E F et al.
- Affiliation:
- Rossdales and Partners · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 4-week-old Thoroughbred filly foal was having trouble walking on her right hind leg and had a history of a serious infection. During the examination, the vet found swelling in both of her knee joints. Imaging tests showed that her knee joint was collapsing and there were problems with the bone in both hind legs. Unfortunately, the damage was so severe that the veterinarian recommended putting her to sleep to prevent further suffering. The tests showed significant issues with the cartilage and bone, indicating a lack of blood supply to those areas.
Abstract
A 4-week-old Thoroughbred filly foal with a history of sepsis was evaluated for right hindlimb lameness. Bilateral femoropatellar and femorotibial joint effusions were detected. Ultrasonography and radiography of the right stifle revealed signs of joint collapse and periarticular swelling. Computed tomography revealed abnormalities in the bone density of the medial femoral condyle of the right hindlimb and lateral femoral condyle of the left hindlimb. Euthanasia was recommended based on the severity of the lesions. Gross and microscopic examinations revealed extensive separation of the articular-epiphyseal cartilage complex from the subchondral bone of the femoral condyles. The histological features suggest an ischaemic aetiology; comparisons are made with lesions of osteochondrosis and avascular necrosis of bone.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22594034/