Page 419 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

tendon

• the bicipital bursa, which protects the tendon of the biceps brachii muscle as it passes
VetBooks.ir • through the groove at the front of the humerus close to the shoulder

the supraspinous bursa, which lies between the ligamentum nuchae and the dorsal

spinous processes of the third and fourth thoracic vertebrae.

Acquired bursae are not present in every animal. They develop under the skin as a reaction
to repeated trauma. Examples include:

• capped hock
• capped elbow

• hygroma of the knee.

Bursitis

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa and is usually due to trauma or infection. Traumatic

bursitis may be acute or chronic. Acute bursitis can occur as the result of a direct blow and
bicipital bursitis is an example of this. Chronic bursitis is usually the result of repeated

trauma, for example, capped hocks. A few of the more common examples will now be
described.

ACUTE BURSITIS

Bicipital bursitis is usually accompanied by lameness and pain on deep palpation. It can be

caused by a kick or a blow to the point of the shoulder and there may be heat and some local
swelling. Diagnosis is made on the clinical signs and confirmed if necessary by local

analgesia, ultrasound examination or scintigraphy. Treatment includes box rest and controlled
exercise. Cold therapy may be beneficial. Local injections of corticosteroid +/– hyaluronic

acid into the bursa may be given and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as
phenylbutazone can be administered orally. Therapeutic ultrasound is also of value.

CHRONIC BURSITIS (CAPPED HOCKS, CAPPED ELBOWS, HYGROMA

OF THE KNEE)

Capped hocks are cold, painless swellings which develop on the point of the hock (Figures

9.8a and b).