Page 458 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

PROGNOSIS

The prognosis is good for most splint bone fractures if there is no damage to the suspensory
VetBooks.ir ligament and they are recognized and appropriately treated. Fractures of the upper third of the

medial (inside) splint bone of the forelimb have a more guarded prognosis, especially if the
bone is in many pieces and infection is present.

INFECTION OF BONE

Septic or infectious osteitis

Septic or infectious osteitis is inflammation of bone due to infection. There is no involvement
of the marrow cavity.

CAUSES

Such injuries occur on the cannon and splint bones as the result of a kick from another horse.
As there is only skin covering the bone at these sites, the periosteum may be exposed and

damaged. Another common site is the pedal bone which may become infected when a horse
stands on a sharp, penetrating object. It may also develop following surgical repair of a

fracture.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

Bacteria colonize the superficial layers of bone and these may die. The dead piece of bone is
called a sequestrum and this causes a chronic discharge through a non-healing skin wound.

CLINICAL SIGNS

• Variable degrees of lameness. A horse with an infected pedal bone may be very lame,
while an animal with an area of infected cannon bone may be only slightly lame.

• A non-healing, discharging wound.

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis is made on the history, the clinical signs and radiography.

Radiographic changes include:
• soft tissue swelling

• resorption of bone may be seen a few days after the injury occurs

• periosteal reaction and new bone may be visible 7–14 days post injury