Evaluation of the appearance of osteochondrosis lesions

Evaluation of the appearance of osteochondrosis lesions by two radiographic examinations in sport horses aged from 12 to 36 months,

PLoS One. 2023 May 23;18(5):e0286213.
Authors
Raphaël Van Cauter 1 2 , Didier Serteyn 1 2 , Jean-Philippe Lejeune 1 2 , Alycia Rousset 1 , Isabelle Caudron 1 2
Affiliations

1 Centre Européen du Cheval, Mont-le-Soie, Vielsalm, Belgium.
2 Département des Sciences Cliniques des Équidés, Chirurgie et Orthopédie, FARAH, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Abstract

Osteochondrosis is a developmental orthopedic disease characterized by a defect of enchondral ossification. This pathological condition develops and evolves during growth and is influenced by various factors, in particular genetic and environmental. However, little research has been conducted on the dynamic of this condition in horses after the age of 12 months. The retrospective study presented here investigates changes in osteochondrosis lesions through two standardized radiographic examinations carried out on young Walloon sport horses after one year of age (mean age at first and second examination was 407 (±41) and 680 (±117) days respectively). Each examination, analyzed independently by three veterinarians, included latero-medial views of the fetlocks, hocks, stifles, plantarolateral-dorsomedial hocks view and additional radiograph if the operator deemed it necessary. Each joint site was graded as healthy, osteochondrosis (OC) or osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) affected. A group of 58 horses was studied, among them 20 presented one or more osteochondrosis lesions for a total of 36 lesions present during at least one examination. In this population, 4 animals (6.9%) presented osteochondrosis during only one examination (2 at the first examination and 2 at the second one). Moreover, it was possible to demonstrate the appearance, disappearance and more generally the evolution of 9/36 lesions (25%) within the different joints. The results of the study suggest that, although substantial main limitations, osteochondrosis lesions can evolve after the age of 12 months in sport horses. Knowing this is useful in helping to decide the appropriate radiographic diagnosis timing and management.

Conclusions
Based on this study, although it is not possible to report a detailed time frame of accurate dynamics, we can report in detail that is obvious under the age of 365 days for metacarpo and metatarsophalangeal, tarsocrural and femoropatellar joints. Therefore it seems that in the absence of clinical signs, surgery on OC(D) lesions in horses less than one year old is not necessary and indicated because of possible spontaneous resolution of those lesions. Further studies are necessary to characterize the dynamics and influencing factors of osteochondral lesions.

Copyright: © 2023 Van Cauter et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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