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Proceedings of the 54th Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners
December 610, 2008, San Diego, California Program Chair : Harry W. Werner

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Stephen M. Reed, Educational Programs Committee Chair Carey M. Ross, Scientic Publications Coordinator Published by the American Association of Equine Practitioners www.aaep.org
American Association of Equine Practitioners, 2008
ISSN 00657182

Published in IVIS with the permission of the AAEP LAMENESSTHE FOOT

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Distal Deep Digital Flexor Tendon Angulation and Tendinopathy Within the Equine Foot
Justin D. McCormick, MS; Sarah M. Puchalski, DVM, Diplomate ACVR; and Ryan M. Schultz, DVM

To detect deep digital exor tendon (DDFT) injury in the distal pastern region, well-positioned, lateromedial radiographs may be useful in the clinical evaluation of horses with heel pain. Authors address: Department of Surgical and Radiological Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616; e-mail: jdmccormick@vmth.ucdavis.edu. 2008 AAEP.

1.

Introduction

The pathophysiology of navicular degeneration has been described, but the etiopathogenesis of tendon lesions within the hoof is not well understood. We hypothesize that more acute angulation of the deep digital exor tendon (DDFT) as it passes over the navicular bone is associated with DDFT lesions.
2. Materials and Methods

sults were compared using a paired t-test; p 0.05 was considered signicant.
3. Results

The DDFT angle as it passed over the navicular bone was signicantly more acute in lesion horses than controls. Lesion horses also showed a trend toward decreased length of the palmar surface of the navicular bone distance (p 0.09). Other measurements were not signicantly different.
4. Discussion

Lateromedial radiographs from 20 lame horses with DDFT lesions just proximal to the navicular bone were compared with radiographs from 20 sound horses presenting for pre-purchase examination contemporaneously (20032007). For inclusion, each horse had lameness alleviated by palmar digital nerve anesthesia, and ndings from well-positioned radiographs were incompatible with the degree of lameness. Five measurements were made, and re-

In this set of cases, more acute distal DDFT angle was associated with DDFT lesions proximal to the navicular bone. Careful examination of lateromedial radiographs may provide additional information in horses with heel pain. A causal relationship was not investigated. but the angle of the DDFT may have biomechanical implications that inuence tendon function.

Research Abstract NOTES

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2008 Vol. 54 AAEP PROCEEDINGS

Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the AAEP - San Diego, CA, USA, 2008