Bent legs

[justdoit]

Foals born with bent front legs, bent in><. We have 3 on the ground that are like this...:)
I have been told to apply "double strength iodine" to the location of where the surgical
solution would be made and keep them confined to a stall.

"double strength iodine" sounds a bit happy clapper to me.

[dizzy]

Sounds a similar principle to the barbaric and out dated practise of blistering soft tissue injuries. I doubt that it would be effective, most foals straighten on their own which would give believers claim to believe what they'd done was the cause when all it woulds do is cause a superficial tissue injury on the foal. There are plenty of experienced repro vets and farriers, particularly in the TB's these days. I'd suggest you call upon their services. The modern world means you can do so through technology no days if you are in an isolated area.

Do you have your mares on hilly ground by chance?

[Flashing Red]

I have straightened many a foals legs with 10mL of cod liver oil daily (down their throat). Normally only takes 3-7 days and they straighten right up. This is taken from the natural horse guru Pat Coleby. It works a treat, well it has for me. She believes it is due to a vitamin A & D deficiency in the mare during pregnancy, hence cod liver oil will help as it rectifies this. She also gives cod liver oil to mares in foal to ensure their legs comes out straight....

Good luck :)

[Greg Hando]

Foals born with bent front legs, bent in><. We have 3 on the ground that are like this...:)
I have been told to apply "double strength iodine" to the location of where the surgical
solution would be made and keep them confined to a stall.

"double strength iodine" sounds a bit happy clapper to me.
Do you mean knees leaning backwards as is pushed back if so dont worry they'll straighten up

[Nemera]

Foals born with bent front legs, bent in><. We have 3 on the ground that are like this...:)
I have been told to apply "double strength iodine" to the location of where the surgical
solution would be made and keep them confined to a stall.

"double strength iodine" sounds a bit happy clapper to me.
I'd guess it's the confinement & time that is working. Not sure how iodine applied to the skin is going to affect rate of growth at the growth plate.

valgus knees are normal for new born standardbred foals. If more extreme than usual then confine to prevent overloading of the growth plate(small yard rather than stable). Most improve rapidly over the first week or two. In most cases that is sufficient along with proper trimming over the following months. Foot build ups can be beneficial as well. If insufficient improvement then can look at surgical options but most do come right. I have seen some that are extreme at foaling go on to be unnoticeable by yearling sale time.

[justdoit]

Thanks guy's,

Dizzy, no hill's around here.
Flashing Red, cod liver oil scares me more than the iodine.
Greg Hando, they look knock kneed><.
Nemera, I agree.

[Flashing Red]

Flashing Red, cod liver oil scares me more than the iodine.

What scares you about it, I'm curious. Many people take cod liver oil daily?

[Greg Hando]

Thanks guy's,

Dizzy, no hill's around here.
Flashing Red, cod liver oil scares me more than the iodine.
Greg Hando, they look knock kneed><.
Nemera, I agree.

They'll straighten if not by about 4 week's get your vet to scrape the growth plate then they'll straighten up

[dizzy]

JDT no hills likely rules out uterine distortion syndrome as a cause I think

Flashing Red possibly vitamin A overdose but as I'm not JDT I'm just guessing

Certainly anything from Pat Colby literature recommended on any equestrian forum these days would result in a "popcorn" topic.

Incidently without a "control" how do you know the foals that you treated with cod liver oil that straightened up wouldn't have anyway?

[Flashing Red]

JDT no hills likely rules out uterine distortion syndrome as a cause I think

Flashing Red possibly vitamin A overdose but as I'm not JDT I'm just guessing

Certainly anything from Pat Colby literature recommended on any equestrian forum these days would result in a "popcorn" topic.

Incidently without a "control" how do you know the foals that you treated with cod liver oil that straightened up wouldn't have anyway?

Firstly, I 100% trust what she says and couldn't care less what others think of her. I don’t have a lot of time for equestrian forums either, I don’t find them not nearly as knowledgeable as racing folk. Incidentally Pat Coleby’s detractors haven't achieved half of what she has done for animals in her lifetime. I don't always follow her religiously, but I find 9 times out of 10 what she says is true. Secondly, you are probably right in that most of these foals, their legs would have straightened eventually. However, I have had a number of breeders who have seen a lot more foals then me, remark how quick their legs straightened up with cod liver oil for 4-7 days. I do not think a foal would get a Vitamin A overdose is such a short space of time. In any event, Pat Coleby has admitted to helping a lot of foals over the years with this method. I have spoken to a number of times on the phone, she is a wealth of knowledge.

Flashing Red was in a clinic for 6-8 months, I can't remember exactly how long now. They tried everything at the clinic to beat the infection, when it seemed gone it would rear its ugly head again. I rang Pat Coleby up, took the horse out of the clinic and did exactly what she said. In 6 weeks that horse was cured. After 6 or so months, the clinic flew a team up to XRay his ankle, they couldn't believe the infection was gone. The joint was so good, if it weren’t for his age he could have raced again. It was no fluke, I have since cured other horses the same way who were otherwise going to be euthanised. I must admit I have refined what I do now after learning more in America on similar substances. I was fortunate to work with one of the best lameness vets over there. What struck me was his use of particular substances in similar ways to Pat Coleby. Besides being a vet, he was very much like her, just say a more modernised version! :) While I think Pat Coleby's work may be a little dated in some respects, it is a fantastic starting point and that is how I treat her work.

Sorry if I sound a little defensive, have regarded this lady as a personal friend, I am indebted to her for her help with my horses over the years (starting since I was 13). She had never led me astray. In my opinion, what is wrong with the horse world (equestrian and racing) is that people do not want to think outside the box. If it’s not in their text books, it must not be true. I find that the very best horsepeople that I have met in my travels do think outside the box; I would class her as one of them. :)
I get off my soap box now. I am very passionate about this sort of stuff, sorry.

[justdoit]

Flashing Red,
The foals are inside at night and in 6m by 6m yards during the day, they have the "double strength iodine" applied twice a week even though it sounds like a happy clapper remedy to me.
10mls of cod liver oil daily will start tomorrow and I have the KNTKY team on the job, looking at what we have missed?feed wise.
The foals are between 5 to 9 days old, is it still worth giving them the good oil? Knowing very little about this topic, and even though I refer to the treatments as
happy clapper remedies, I will always try these things. Not doing so would be very ignorant and not providing7trying the best you can for your horses.

[triplev123]

G'day Justdoit,
Without seeing the youngsters up close it's hard to say for sure what the problem might be & what can be done to fix it.
We've had 2 foals in previous seasons that weren't so straight when they were born or became that way soon afterwards.
One was an easy pick, it became bucked over at the knees because it had contracted tendons & a course of calcium blocker injections (which was just an old school antibiotic) set it straight in a short space of time.
The other as it turned out was slightly off square all over, kind of like a table in a Pub that no matter which way you turn it...it will still wobble. I didn't pick this one, my brother did. He's got a very good eye & is exceptionally good at picking foals that are not quite right in their lower limb alignment goes, me..I'm not so good with them when they're that young, better when they're older but by that time it's often too late to do anything.
That second foal that was off a bit all over straightened up after maybe 7-10-14 days of being boxed with the mare. By far and away the best initial treatement is to box them & restrict their movement. A great many lower limb issues will come right on their own within that space of time and at the outside 14 days or so. If they don't show improvement in that time then it's probably time to get hold of the Vet again and think about your next move.
It might also be of some comfort to know that the time frame that you have in order to surgically intervene (strips etc) is relatively quite wide...it's not huge of course but it's a lot longer than many might think. It surprised me initially because I thought it was all but an immediate thing. I'd have to check with our Vet but from memory I think it's around 2-3 months. First off I'd try 7-10-14 days in a box 24/7, don't let them out and many of them will very quickly straighten up.
I noticed significant improvement in one of ours after just 2-3 days. Hope that helps.

[justdoit]

Thanks TripleV123,
They have Valgus legs



http://www.equipodiatry.com/images/young_horse_farriery/fig5.jpg

[triplev123]

They, as in all of them are the same? Geeze, that's extraordinary. You're dead unlucky there. I've confirmed this morning that the knees are somewhat less pressing than the hocks and that has to do with the timing of the growth plates closing over in relation to the rapid growth phase. My advice is that Hocks need to be looked at within 4 weeks, Knees can go out as far as 8-10-12 weeks depending on the individual. First things first though, box them all in order to restrict their movement. Even wandering in a yard can cause issues & if you've got a mare that continually walks around...we had one...it makes it worse still because the foal's always hurrying to keep up.

[thesushitrain]

best of luck with them

[dizzy]

JDT what was your vets opinion? Have you/your vet considered remedial farriery?

I'm not sure if it's appropriate in this case but would involve glue on extensions to the foals hooves to change the base of support, and may avoid the need for surgery.

I'm far from an expert on the topic but can ask my farrier who looks after many a bent legged TB foal each season if you like?

If you want some more insite google "dalric cuff"

[Greg Hando]

G'day Justdoit,
Without seeing the youngsters up close it's hard to say for sure what the problem might be & what can be done to fix it.
We've had 2 foals in previous seasons that weren't so straight when they were born or became that way soon afterwards.
One was an easy pick, it became bucked over at the knees because it had contracted tendons & a course of calcium blocker injections (which was just an old school antibiotic) set it straight in a short space of time.
The other as it turned out was slightly off square all over, kind of like a table in a Pub that no matter which way you turn it...it will still wobble. I didn't pick this one, my brother did. He's got a very good eye & is exceptionally good at picking foals that are not quite right in their lower limb alignment goes, me..I'm not so good with them when they're that young, better when they're older but by that time it's often too late to do anything.
That second foal that was off a bit all over straightened up after maybe 7-10-14 days of being boxed with the mare. By far and away the best initial treatement is to box them & restrict their movement. A great many lower limb issues will come right on their own within that space of time and at the outside 14 days or so. If they don't show improvement in that time then it's probably time to get hold of the Vet again and think about your next move.
It might also be of some comfort to know that the time frame that you have in order to surgically intervene (strips etc) is relatively quite wide...it's not huge of course but it's a lot longer than many might think. It surprised me initially because I thought it was all but an immediate thing. I'd have to check with our Vet but from memory I think it's around 2-3 months. First off I'd try 7-10-14 days in a box 24/7, don't let them out and many of them will very quickly straighten up.
I noticed significant improvement in one of ours after just 2-3 days. Hope that helps.

Also a good thing for contracted tendon's is a product for pink eye in sheep and cattle called Engomyasin (excuse the spelling ) 10 ml's today then another 10 ml's 2 day's time and contracted tendon's gone do this in the first couple of day's after foal is born tried and proven numerous time's with full success

[Greg Hando]

Thanks TripleV123,
They have Valgus legs



http://www.equipodiatry.com/images/young_horse_farriery/fig5.jpg

Avery leggy foal by the look's of it i wouldn't be overly worried at this stage but good to keep an eye on the proress

[triplev123]

Also a good thing for contracted tendon's is a product for pink eye in sheep and cattle called Engomyasin (excuse the spelling ) 10 ml's today then another 10 ml's 2 day's time and contracted tendon's gone do this in the first couple of day's after foal is born tried and proven numerous time's with full success


[VVV] G'day Greg,
Just checked the records of such stuff that I keep here on my PC & we used Oxytetracycline, an old school antibitoic that according to our Vet is rarely used as a go to anymore... at least as far as fighting infection is concerned.
What it apparently does in a large intravenous dose/doses is act as a calcium blocker which in turn allows the spasming tendons to relax. While sometimes it does takes more than 1 or 2 shots to get the desired effect it always works.
I meant to add...kind of along the lines of the above not being made for the purpose but being very effective at fixing it, that there's a fair bit of treatement cross-over for many other animal drugs.
There are supposed to be a couple of sheep wormers that are very effective in horses and significantly cheaper though I am not sure which one/s & I know that the Pig version of Regumate is not only better but it is cheaper too.

[justdoit]

Thanks guys,
That is not my picture. Found it on the amishblog, the runners, jeans and jacket combo look familiar though.

[triplev123]

JDT what was your vets opinion? Have you/your vet considered remedial farriery?

I'm not sure if it's appropriate in this case but would involve glue on extensions to the foals hooves to change the base of support, and may avoid the need for surgery.

I'm far from an expert on the topic but can ask my farrier who looks after many a bent legged TB foal each season if you like?

If you want some more insite google "dalric cuff"

[VVV] Had a VERY bad result with the glue on shoe technique. Terrible. Might well have been just a one off with us and maybe it wasn't done properly but it was a shocker outcome. The resultant foal now a 3yo still has front legs like those found on a Piano Stool. I'd be extremely reluctant to try it again.

[Nemera]

[QUOTE=triplev123;10731][VVV]
Just checked the records of such stuff that I keep here on my PC & we used Oxytetracycline, an old school antibitoic that according to our Vet is rarely used as a go to anymore... at least as far as fighting infection is concerned.
What it apparently does in a large intravenous dose/doses is act as a calcium blocker which in turn allows the spasming tendons to relax. While sometimes it does takes more than 1 or 2 shots to get the desired effect it always works.
/QUOTE]
Engemicin (? spelling) is a commercial brand of oxytetracycline so you're both referring to the same drug. It can work incredibly well on contracted feet and fetlocks along with splinting, not quite so effective on contracted knees but still helps

[Nemera]

[VVV] Had a VERY bad result with the glue on shoe technique. Terrible. Might well have been just a one off with us and maybe it wasn't done properly but it was a shocker outcome. The resultant foal now a 3yo still has front legs like those found on a Piano Stool. I'd be extremely reluctant to try it again.
Some aren't going to improve no matter what you do, but most improve dramatically with foot build ups (easier to keep on the glue on's). It reduces the loading on the growth plate and stops the hoof wear on that side which usually helps and at least seems to stop it from getting worse. I am not a vet but work with mares & foals in large numbers

[triplev123]

Yeh, that's true. Our filly should have had strips done but the Vet was dead set on glue on shoes. Disaster. It was 3 years ago now and I'm still shitty about it.

[justdoit]

So the glue on-shoe is for deviations of the fetlock and surgery for the knees?

[justdoit]

This looks good, some other products on their site that might come in handy.

http://www.vetoptions.com/products/redboot/articulated-corrective-brace.asp

[dizzy]

JDT I think the brace is pretty extreme and probably unwarranted. I seriously suggest you consult a farrier who specialises in these type of defects and be guided by them in consultation with your vet, or a specialist vet. Exactly what you do depends on the fault or faults and the time frame available and the response to treatment, it's not one size fits all. As Nemera said it may be all you need is equilox applied to the medial side of the hoof, but this still needs to be monitored and reapplied as necessary

VVV I'm sorry you had a poor experience with glue ons, in the right circumstances they can have extradinarily good results, but of course in some instances whilst all legs can be improved with treatment some defects just cant be corrected regardless. Valgus/varus knees usually have good results, rotations much less so.

VVV there is an outstanding farrier in the Hawkesbury for bent legged foals if you have (hopefully not) the need for one.

[triplev123]

G'day Dizzy,
No need to be sorry. We just chalked it up to experience, as unpleasant an outcome as it was.
I've no doubt others have experienced better results otherwise no doubt the crew that make the shoes & associated bits and pieces would have been out of business by now. Once bitten and twice shy here though.
Unfortunately 3 years ago we had two of them back to back, both fillies, but we have had none before nor since then. That has roughly coincided with us doing most of the work with them ourselves, which I think is a very significant factor. Not that most of the bigger operations can't look after such things as well as they're able to, rather that there's just no substitute for a smaller concern & for being there with your own mares when their foals first hit the deck or soon afterwards, for seeing them up close & doing so often & making decisions early & accordingly. On that score, it's that time of year again and foal watch approaches rapidly. Last year one of our mares, a maiden, decided to just plop down & foal around about 9:00am in the morning, we weren't there, & only for the stirling work of our friends Anne & Ellen, on who's place the mares reside, she would have been in trouble (one foot back).
Only got 3 of them this time around, last year we had 5. That almost did my head in and my brother's as well. I wish I had $1.00 for every time I got paranoid that the foaling alarm wasn't working and wandered out into the dark with my torch 'just to check'. ;)
Bloody steep old learning curve. I've been meaning to knock out a piece for Pecky for his mag, a blow by blow account, warts and all, including my holding onto and then having passed out on top of a foal that was being injected in the jugular. :eek:

[justdoit]

10mls of cod liver oil daily rubbed on my legs is working a treat.:)

[triplev123]

I don't want to hear about your private life Justdoit. What you choose to do with Cod Liver Oil behind closed doors is your own business. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[dizzy]

VVV certainly nobody looks after your own best interests like yourself! Hence i've moved my mare to a property closer to Sydney so I can be more involved but it won't be as much as you are.

I have come to the conclusion that in the STB industry most of the big operators are in "remote" areas as far as getting high quality farriers goes. In one instance I've seen a newly shod galloper come down from a very successfull bush trainer and honestly I could have shod it 10x better and I CANT shoe!

[triplev123]

G'day Dizzy,
We've just recently had a young fella come out and do all our yearlings and he does an excellent job, he's the apprentice of a good mate of a mate of my fathers & I think he was born to it, he's a natural. I couldn't shoe a rocking horse myself but their feet now look exactly like they should look, not just a half arsed rasp & a bit of a clip here & there. Afterwards I reckon you can tell pretty much straight away by the way that they stand, when their posture is such that they look more like they're growing out of the ground instead of just standing upon it...then for mine that's well balanced. I've seen a few ungeared but race shod pics of some of the top North American horses and that's something that has always struck me about them. They look so well balanced. Up there they seem to pay so much more attention to their feet than we generally do down here.

[Flashing Red]

Are you kidding me? :O They shoe at angles 49 degrees OR less in front in North America! I've even seen some with angles as low as 46. Balanced? They OPENLY admit shoeing like that causes undue pressure on the tendons, ligaments and joints however there is a belief over there that it gives them that little bit extra speed. The farriers I talk to said that it helps some horses but not others, but that the trainers just get all of them shod like that. I would much rather a sound horse and keep vet bills to a minimum than squeeze that extra little ounce of speed out of them. When saying that, I was told "you think like that because you own your own horses!". Heck, the attitude is just palm the vet bill off to the owners. LOL! :)

I know the trotters are a little different, they do need slightly longer toes... but I wouldn't call angles like they use in America balanced. I much prefer the Southern Hemisphere way of shoeing :)

[triplev123]

Be that as it may, they look like they should look to me. Maybe I do have macular degeneration after all?:cool: (Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder etc)

[justdoit]

Have just received a call informing me that one of our mares is on the way the hospital, maiden mare due to foal now, foal presented backside first with both back legs in the forward direction.
Cesarean section is most likely I have been told, how F..ing unlucky can I be.

[Don Corleone]

Have just received a call informing me that one of our mares is on the way the hospital, maiden mare due to foal now, foal presented backside first with both back legs in the forward direction.
Cesarean section is most likely I have been told, how F..ing unlucky can I be.

Hell justdoit, you're having a bad run. All the best.

[justdoit]

Thanks Don,
The mare is doing well after the Cesarean. 2011 Foal crop -1

[triplev123]

Have just received a call informing me that one of our mares is on the way the hospital, maiden mare due to foal now, foal presented backside first with both back legs in the forward direction.
Cesarean section is most likely I have been told, how F..ing unlucky can I be.

[VVV] Geeze, thoughts are with your & your mare & foal mate. You're having a bloody tough start to the season. The buggers can make you pull your hair out, no risk about that. Keep your chin up.

[Nemera]

Thanks Don,
The mare is doing well after the Cesarean. 2011 Foal crop -1
Glad to hear the mare is on the road to recovery, bad luck on the foal. The rest of the season can only improve from there. Backwards is so incredibly rare, you really did strike it unlucky. Best of luck for the rest of the season

[justdoit]

Thank you all for your kind words.

[triplev123]

So how's she doing Justdoit? Ok I trust. What did you get...colt or filly...and what's it by? Hope it's a superstar.

[justdoit]

The foal was dead(was hoping for a superstar), we did not ask the sex, the mare has eaten and drank water, now they are waiting for her to pass the placenta and have a shit. This will come as a dissapointment to some, it's a galloper and there is no LFG as we paid a heavily discounted service fee.

[triplev123]

Geeze, sorry to have asked that now. I assumed the foal had made it. TB or otherwise, they all hurt. Hope your mare recovers fully.

[justdoit]

I was told once not to assume anything. Thanks for the support, she is doing well at this time.

[Greg Hando]

Grandad alway's said "If you have Livestock expect losses " but it dont help when you lose one

[justdoit]

Hi Greg,
Your Grandad was correct the mare has been put down.

[Greg Hando]

Very sad buisness but probably the best thing for al concerned

[LisaB25]

our first foal for the season a gotta go cullect filly now almost 4 weeks old.
now has shoes/boots on to help her walk and straighten those legs.
hoping they will come good..
we've had the bent legs before but never this bad, any suggestions ?
apparently a few of his have been like this..
105

[Greg Hando]

That's a shame Lisa if she was older you would say it was a severe case of bog spavin it look's like it is deformed in the joint has the joint been x rayed she also look's to have a big naval did she have a naval infection at any time i'm sorry to say but if mine a hard decision would have to made and most probably in the negative

[LisaB25]

yeah shes been to the vet and xrayed and they have put these shoes on her. The joint hasn't always been that swallen, think she has bumped it while being locked up. No haven't had any infection around the naval.

[triplev123]

G'day Lisa,

If you haven't already then I'd put her & her mother in a box and don't let it out until the joint settles down. The reason I say that is because the very first thing we do once a foal has gotten up & had a drink and can reasonably be moved is to box it & the mare until such time as we're happy with its legs, happy it's drinking enough etc. Admittedly, some mares do take to this better than others. Sometimes there's no real reason to do it, it's just precautionary, other times if we think they're not quite square or they're down on the fetlocks or a bit wobbly in their hocks or whatever then it's only just for 2 or 3 or 4 days, sometimes it might take a bit longer for them to strengthen up/tighten up a bit. Experience has left me with the very firmly belief that the impact of a lot of leg issues can be very greatly lessened/overcome with simple stall rest.
Conversely, if you have a very active mare and a foal that has angular limb issues and they're left to wander larger yards or paddocks then the very fact that the foal has to tag along behind the mare wherever she buggers off to every 5 seconds serves to negatively impact on the joints of the foal, IMO. They can in fact be created.
We once had one that developed contracted tendons a day or so after birth & they were greatly amplified by her dam's constant wanderings. Boxed & injected with a calcium blocker so everything could settle down and a week later, Bob's your Uncle. Fixed. Another was born not unlike a wonky table in a Pub where you have to fold up a beer coaster and wedge it under one corner to stop it wobbling. The dam walked constantly & the poor bugger was forever trying to keep up. With that much activity no way the joints settle down on their own, which...with rest, for the most part the joints of most foals will do. We boxed them, it was about a week, might have been 10 days at the outside, all silent, all done. Foal was fine. It just needed a bit of time for nature to do what comes naturally.
I'm having a pretty fair old brain fade here right now so I'll have to call our Vet & ask but I know that the growth plates of the knees and of the hocks close over at different times, one is significantly earlier than the other & so the time frame for surgical intervention is different. I am pretty sure it is the hocks that are the later closing of the two but will need to confirm. Also, as far as various joinst are concerned, if there is one that is forgiving of disruption then it is the hocks. There are also many similarities between a horse's hock and a human knee joint I am told.
Personally, I have very little to no faith in the whole glue on shoeing to correct angular limb deformaties in foals routine. We've got a thumping big Shark Gesture 3yo filly here with a badly offset offside knee/cannon bone that is living testimony to that. It could have been swiftly and effectively corrected with surgery and she would have raced and very effectively too but instead, she'll be served tomorrow or the next day.
Hope you don't mind but I have taken the liberty of copying the pic and will send it to our Vet and ask him what he thinks. Might be helpful, might not be. Anything's worth a shot. I'll let you know asap.

Here's a really good piece I had saved. I don't hold with all of it but generally speaking it's pretty spot on. Hope it's of some help.



Take-home message

Most foals with angular limb deformities self-correct.
Angular limb deformities due to underdeveloped cuboidal bones may carry a poor prognosis.
Periosteal stripping is not an effective treatment.
Transphyseal bridging techniques are indicated in foals that do not self-correct.
Introduction

Developmental orthopedic disease has become the recent "catch phrase" that encompasses a number of orthopedic conditions affecting the growing horse. Conditions included under this umbrella are angular limb deformities, flexural deformities and osteochondrosis. While the predisposing factors and the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms for each of these conditions may be inter-related, the management techniques employed are condition specific. Angular limb deformities represent a deviation of the limb in a sagittal plane (viewed from in front or behind). Most foals have less than ideal conformation at birth; however, only a small number of affected foals actually require active medical management to resolve their deformities. Clearly, the focus needs to be on identifying and managing this latter group of foals.
The following paragraphs are intended to convey an understanding of the mechanisms responsible for angulation and the treatment modalities that can be employed.
Three basic mechanisms can be responsible for the presence or development of an angular limb deformity in the foal. The first, and by far the most common, are deformities that result from a greater than normal degree of laxity in the ligaments supporting the medial and lateral aspects of the joints. Inadequate development of the cuboidal bones of the carpus (knee) and tarsus (hock) is potentially the most devastating manifestation of angular deformity. While deformities that develop due to a medial-to-lateral disparity in long growth may require surgical management, but generally carry an excellent prognosis.
History and Physical Examination
The assessment of foals with angular limb deformities should always begin with collection of a complete patient description and history. The foal should be observed standing at rest and at a walk to establish whether the angulation displayed is consistent or variable in nature. The affected limb(s) should be palpated to evaluate degree of ligamentous laxity and the presence of pain or swelling. Radiographs should be made to allow evaluation of the cuboidal bones and objective measurement of the angle of deviation.
Angular Limb Deformities - Ligamentous Laxity
Angular limb deformities due to ligamentous laxity are typically present and most pronounced at birth. The carpal and tarsal joints are most commonly involved and, in severe cases, the stifle joints can be angled as well. Examination of the foal at rest reveals excessive medial to lateral mobility of the involved joints. At a walk, the deformity may be consistent in direction and severity, or variable in both severity and direction. Manipulation does not elicit a painful response. Radiographs are morphologically normal and the geometric pivot point is located within the joint.
The majority of angular deformities due to ligamentous laxity resolve spontaneously over the first few days of life. The conservative clinician may recommend a short period of stall confinement. There are cases where mechanical support in the form of a stiff bandage or a splint may be indicated (foal's carpii are rubbing against each other); however, those cases are rare. In addition to the possible negative implications of bandages and splints, the clinician also needs to be aware that mechanical support may slow the resolution of the laxity.
Angular Limb Deformities - Cuboidal Bone Hypoplasia
Angular limb deformities caused by cuboidal bone hypoplasia carry the potential for the poorest prognosis. Under normal circumstances, the small bones of the carpus and the tarsus achieve their adult shape within 30 days of birth. Foals with underdeveloped cuboidal bones are clearly skeletally immature; however, skeletal immaturity does not correlate well with gestational age. This condition can occur in otherwise healthy foals, but in Western Canada, these foals often suffer from the well known, but poorly understood "hypothyroid foal syndrome." With the exception of foals with hypothyroid syndrome, normal foals with underdeveloped cuboidal bones have a good prognosis if therapeutic intervention is undertaken before permanent deformity occurs.
Foals with hypoplastic cuboidal bones generally have mild to moderately severe angular limb deformity that is inconsistent in severity. Manipulation of the affected limbs reveals an impression of ligamentous laxity, though the force needed to create deformity is greater than in foals with ligamentous laxity. Radiographic assessment confirms the presence of inadequately ossified cuboidal bones and a geometric pivot point within the joint. In severe cases, the proximal growth plate of the metacarpus and metatarsus (cannon bones) may still be present (should be closed before birth). Deviation in the front limbs usually occurs in a medial-to-lateral direction, but in the rear limbs, the abnormality is best seen from the side.
Foals with underdeveloped cuboidal bones should be restricted to box stall confinement. If the foal is especially active, additional support, in the form of a splint or tube cast, should be provided to mechanically protect the essentially cartilaginous cuboidal bones. In otherwise normal foals, the ossification process proceeds rapidly and most affected foals need only be confined for a period of 14 -21 days. Hypothyroid foals seem to respond more slowly. Radiographic evaluations should be repeated at 7 to 10 day intervals.
Unfortunately, cuboidal bone hypoplasia may go undetected. In those foals, the presenting complaint is often the sudden appearance of a moderate to severe angulation. These foals often have swelling over the carpus or tarsus and frequently object to manipulation of the affected joints. Radiographs reveal misshapen but completely ossified cuboidal bones with a geometric pivot point located within the joint. Regrettably, while the angulation may be resolved using one of the techniques described for the management of growth disparities, the involved joints will become arthritic. Foals with permanent cuboidal bone deformity in the carpii are candidates for euthanasia unless they have value as breeding animals. Foals with tarsal involvement may be able to perform athletically if the affected joints undergo fusion; however, they inevitably suffer through some variable length period of lameness.
Angular Limb Deformities - Disparity in Long Bone Growth
Angular limb deformities caused by a disparity between medial and lateral long bone growth may be present at birth or the deformity may be an acquired developmental condition. In either case, there is an imbalance between the growth occurring at the medial and lateral aspects of the physis (growth plate) of the affected bone. The most common deformity is a lateral (valgus) deformity originating at the carpus. Other affected areas can include the distal metacarpus/metatarsus, and the distal tibia (hock).
Uterine positioning is believed to be the major cause of congenital deformities. The foal is restricted to cramped quarters and medial-to-lateral stress maintained over a period of time essentially compresses one side of the physis allowing overgrowth of the opposite side and development of angulation. Foals that are born straight, but later develop angulation are believed to have undergone some degree of growth plate injury.
Physical examination will reveal a constant angulation. Palpation and manipulation does not elicit a painful response and there is no swelling or laxity of the involved joint. Radiographic evaluation confirms the presence of normally shaped cuboidal bones and the geometric pivot point is located proximal (above) the joint. A complete and accurate history will elucidate one of six possible scenarios:

1. Congential deformity that is:

a. Improving
b. Static
c. Worsening
2. Acquired Deformity that is:

a. Improving
b. Static
c. Worsening
The collection of the above information will allow the clinician to develop a logical approach to management of the condition. The window of opportunity for dealing with deformities arising from the distal radius is large; however, there is a degree of urgency when the deformity is at the distal cannon bone because there is little growth potential in that bone after the foal is 100 days of age.

The majority of foals with angular limb deformities caused by growth disparity of the long bones will spontaneously correct. The challenge for the veterinarian is to identify which foals are likely to require more aggressive intervention and to implement corrective measures while there is still sufficient growth to allow correction. Exercise restriction and corrective hoof care are consistent treatment recommendations that help to reduce the biomechanical stress on the angled limb. In many cases, this conservative approach is sufficient to allow resolution of the deformity. Foals that are severely affected or foals that fail to respond to confinement and corrective hoof trimming are candidates for surgical treatment.
Prior to 1980, the preferred surgical approach was the placement of a temporary transphyseal bridge. This involved placing a staple or a pair of screws connected by a wire across the side of the physis that is growing too fast. The transphyseal bridge compresses the growth plate, restricting growth while allowing the slow growing side to essentially catch up, thereby resolving the angulation. The transphyseal bridging techniques are effective; however, a second surgery is required to remove the implants when the limb is straight. Beginning in 1980, the periosteal stripping procedure appeared on the scene. This procedure is performed on the side of the growth plate that is growing too slow. The proponents of the technique believe that manipulation of the periosteum stimulates growth and subsequent resolution of the deformity. Some 20 years later, the efficacy of the periosteal stripping procedure is being drawn into question. Since its' introduction, there have been numerous reports detailing its use though none of those reports critically evaluates the technique's utility. Foals undergoing periosteal stripping procedures are exercise restricted and corrective hoof care is routinely applied begging the question, "is the observed correction due to exercise restriction, corrective hoof care, periosteal stripping or a combination?" Two research groups have recently presented results of experimental work that clearly does not support the continued use of periosteal stripping as a treatment modality in the management of angular limb deformities in foals.
Dr. Donnie Slone at Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Florida repeated the original experiment of Auer who reported the creation of angular deformities with periosteal stripping followed by correction of said deformities with a second periosteal stripping procedure. Auer was not able to detect any difference between medial and lateral bone growth at the distal radial growth plate and, he believed he had created and corrected a deformity and attributed the correction to growth at the proximal radial growth plate. Dr. Slone was not able to produce an angular limb deformity by performing a periosteal stripping procedure and detected no change in medial-to-lateral growth at either the proximal or distal growth plates.
Interestingly, at the same time, Dr. Emma Read and our research group at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine were developing an angular limb deformity model with the purpose of using that model to assess the utility of periosteal stripping. Temporary transphyseal bridges were placed across the lateral aspect of the distal radial physis in 10 normal foals at 30 days of age. By approximately 90 days of age, all of the foals had developed lateral deviations of 15 degrees or more. The transphyseal bridges were removed and periosteal stripping was performed on one limb, the contralateral limb served as a control. The foals were exercise restricted and medial-to-lateral hoof balance was maintained by rasping the hoof bi-weekly. Over the ensuing 10 - 12 weeks, the deformities in the treated and control limbs corrected at the same rate. This confirmed our hypothesis that periosteal stripping is no more effective than exercise restriction and corrective hoof trimming alone.
While we recognize the limitation of using an experimental model to evaluate treatment modalities in clinical disease, we believe this model closely simulates the congenital condition where compression of the physis is believed to be the active player in the development of the condition. At the most recent American College of Veterinary Surgeons Symposium (October 2001), Dr. Slone reported similar findings based on a controlled trial in clinically affected foals. Undoubtedly, those that dispute our work will call for more extensive controlled clinical trials; however, the author would submit that beyond Auer's original work, there is no scientifically sound evidence in the literature that supports those who advocate periosteal stripping as a treatment modality in the management of angular limb deformities in foals.
As the controversy continues, the reader needs to be aware not only of the medical implications, but also the financial implications that abandonment of the periosteal stripping technique may have on veterinary practices. In some practice areas, large percentages of foals undergo the procedure on a nearly prophylactic basis.
Future efforts need to be focused on identifying that small group of foals that are not going to respond to conservative management. Until that information is available, the clinician must rely on currently available intervention considerations which include:
1. Age of the foal
2. Anatomic site involved
3. Severity of the deformity

4. Status of the deformity

a. Congenital or Acquired
b. Improving, Static, or Worsening
In general, a less aggressive approach can be taken to deformities arising from the distal radius because the window of opportunity for correction is large. The author's current intervention criteria are:

Radius:
< 15 degrees; < 4-6 weeks, Not Worsening
- Confine and Corrective Hoof Care
> 15 degrees; > 4-6 weeks, Static or Worsening
- Transphyseal Bridge
Metacarpus/Metatarsus:
< 4 degrees; < 2 weeks
- Confine and Corrective Hoof Care
> 4 degrees; > 2 weeks
- Transphyseal Bridge
Using this approach, there is little risk in giving the foal with a deformity at the carpus an opportunity to self-correct. The more aggressive tactic for dealing with deformities at the fetlock avoids missing the smaller window of growth opportunity.Older foals with deformities at the fetlock can be corrected by performing an osteotomy of the cannon bone (cut and re-align). This major procedure is effective; however, the economic constraints often limit its application.

[LisaB25]

Thanks for that info..she is up at stud and is boxed. She is 80% better than what she was when born, legs were shocking then!! The vets have said that she may be ok and these shoes/ boots they have used should help..But who knows

[triplev123]

You're welcome & that's great news that she's on the improve.
Our Vet holds with the very first piece of that blub I cut & pasted above...that most will self correct if given time and the opportunity to do so and having seen the results of that approach, so do I. Some obviously don't improve...back when we were absentees we had two of them back to back, neither corrected, neither ever improved, both are broodmares. I think it's very much case by case. As I mentioned before, Hocks not only tend to be a fair bit more forgiving than other joints but when they're not so flash early on for some reason they also tend to correct themselves a lot more often and a lot better than knees and fetlocks ever do. I don't know why that is so but it has cetainly been my experience anyway.

[teecee]

Showed pic to our stud vet. Basically agree with all the triple has said so thanks triple that I don't have to repeat it.
The lump under the tummy is likely from the pic an umbilical hernia formed when the mare and foal separated the cord was stretched to break rather than a quick tug as the mare stood up. A very common occurrence and likely to fade with time also though can be corrected also with surgery in "Worst case scenario".
Good Luck

[triplev123]

Depends on how big it is, some require a little more surgical intervention to fix but we had one with a similar hernia and our Vet tied it off and removed with the same sort of band used to emasculate ram lambs. Knock the foal out with a general anesthetic, roll it over on it's back, feel the hernia, make sure any inner lining/s poking out into the hernia are pushed back through the hole, stitch the hole closed, put the ring tight around the protruding bit, stitch it in place. Swab all over with a good splash of iodine, Bob's your Uncle. Does't hurt to swab it daily for a couple of days and also I'd recommend some Cicatrin Powder as it does wonders for really drying up such things. With warm weather, a couple of days will see it shrivel up & eventually it just mumifies and drops off in the same fashion as a normal cord stump does. Hernia gone, minimum fuss.