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- Author or Editor: George S. Martin x
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Abstract
Objective—To evaluate effects of sex, fracture configuration, affected limb, and screw placement on outcome of Thoroughbreds with condylar fractures involving the third metacarpal or metatarsal bone.
Design—Cohort study.
Animals—56 horses.
Procedure—Age, sex, affected limb, fracture configuration, fracture length, fracture fragment width, and distance of the most distal screw from the articular surface were analyzed in logistic regression models.
Results—Females were more likely to have displaced fractures and race in fewer races after surgery than males. Sex and fracture configuration were associated with number of postoperative races. Among horses that returned to racing, those with thicker fracture fragments were 11 times as likely as horses with thinner fracture fragments to win a race after surgery. Horses with longer fractures and older horses had fewer postoperative races. Horses in which the most distal screw had been placed further from the joint surface had more races.
Conclusion and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that female horses with displaced condylar fractures and male horses with nondisplaced condylar fractures are more likely to be referred for treatment. The effect of sex on outcome for these horses cannot be clearly separated from the effect of fracture configuration. When adjusted for fracture configuration, males were 6 times as likely as females to race after surgery. When adjusted for sex, horses with nondisplaced fractures were 17 times as likely as horses with displaced fractures to race after surgery. Results suggest that the most distal screw should be placed above the epicondylar fossa. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000;217:1870–1877)
Abstract
Objective—To compare racing performance before and after prosthetic laryngoplasty for treatment of laryngeal neuropathy in inexperienced and experienced Thoroughbred racehorses.
Design—Retrospective study.
Animals—52 Thoroughbred racehorses treated with prosthetic laryngoplasty for laryngeal neuropathy.
Procedure—Lifetime race records were analyzed by use of a verified regression model. Individual race records and hospital records were also reviewed.
Results—Experienced horses had a decline in performance, as measured by performance index, earnings percentage, and mean prediction error, during the 6-month period before prosthetic laryngoplasty. Performance improved after surgery, relative to performance in 1 to 4 races immediately before surgery, but did not attain previous baseline values for performance index and earnings percentage, although racing speed was restored to baseline values. Factors associated with failure to attain baseline levels of performance included other racing-related injuries and disorders, major complications of surgery, and age. Individually, however, many horses had long and successful careers after surgery. Performance of inexperienced horses after surgery was at least equal to that of experienced horses.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In addition to warning clients of the complications associated with prosthetic laryngoplasty, it may be prudent to provide a guarded prognosis for full restoration of racing performance in older horses, unless they are especially talented and are free of other racing-related problems. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2000;217:1689–1696)
