Movement asymmetries in horses presented for prepurchase or lameness examinatio

This study is an important first step is trying to decide what the usefulness of objective gait analysis for making decisions about horses on a prepurchase exam that have mild gait asymmetries. But it leaves uncertainties. It is not clear if those cases deemed minor vet concerns do not have early lameness issues that have a early yet chronic problem. The further step of only including horses in the subtle lame
group wee those with a blockable asymmetry certainly added credence to the idea this process distinguishes those with subtle lameness vs those with minor vet concerns. But in the conclusion, there was overlap between the two groups on objective gait analysis. It adds important information into the decision process but should not the final word.
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Movement asymmetries in horses presented for pre purchase / lameness examination
Equine Vet J. 2021 Apr 16. doi: 10.1111/evj.13453. Online ahead of print.
Authors
A M Hardeman 1 2 , A Egenvall 3 , F M Serra Bragança 2 , M H W Koene 1 , J H Swagemakers 1 , L Roepstorff 4 , P R van Weeren 2 , A Byström 4
Affiliations

1 Tierklinik Luesche GmbH, Essenerstrasse 39a, 49456, Luesche, Germany.
2 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Yalelaan 112-114, NL-3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
3 Department of Clinical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
4 Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

Abstract

Background: The increasing popularity of objective gait analysis makes application in pre-purchase examinations (PPE) a logical next step. Therefore, there is a need to have more understanding of asymmetry during a PPE in horses described on clinical evaluation as subtly lame.

Objectives: To objectively compare asymmetry in horses raising minor vet concerns in a PPE and in horses raising major vet concerns with that found in horses presented with subtle single-limb lameness, and to investigate the effect of age/discipline on the clinicians’ interpretation of asymmetry on the classification of minor vet concerns in a PPE.

Study design: Clinical case-series.

Methods: Horses presented for PPE (n=98) or subjectively evaluated as single limb low-grade (1-2/5) lame (n=24, 13 forelimb lame, 11 hindlimb lame), from the patient population of a single clinic, were enrolled in the study provided that owners were willing to participate. Horses undergoing PPE were assigned a classification of having minor vet concerns (n=84) or major vet concerns (n=14) based on findings during the dynamic-orthopaedic part of the PPE. Lame horses were only included if pain-related lameness was confirmed by an objective improvement after diagnostic analgesia exceeding daily variation determined for equine symmetry parameters using optical motion capture. Clinical evaluation was performed by six different clinicians, each with ≥ 8 years of equine orthopaedic experience. Vertical movement symmetry was measured using optical motion capture, simultaneously with the orthopaedic examination. Data were analysed using previously described parameters and mixed model analysis and least squares means were used to calculate differences between groups.

Results: There was no effect of age or discipline on the levels of asymmetry within PPE horses raising minor vet concerns. MinDiff and RUD of the head discriminated between forelimb lame and PPE horses raising minor vet concerns; MinDiff, MaxDiff, RUD of the Pelvis, HHDswing and HHDstance did so for hindlimb lameness. Two lameness patterns differentiated both fore- and hindlimb lame from PPE horses with minor vet concerns: RUD Poll + MinDiff Withers- RUD Pelvis and RUD Pelvis + RUD Poll – MinDiff Withers. Correcting for vertical range of motion enabled differentiation of PPE horses with minor vet concerns from PPE horses with major vet concerns.

Main limitations: Objective data only based on trot on soft surface, limited number of PPE horses with major vet concerns.

Conclusions: Combinations of kinematic parameters discriminate between PPE horses with minor vet concerns and subtly lame horses, though overlap exists.

Keywords: PPE; clinical; gait analysis; horse; kinematics; lameness; purchase evaluation.