Equine Sonography Helps You Find the Source of Your Horse's Lameness
Horses are notorious for picking up a mystery lameness with no obvious cause. It's at these times when equine sonography becomes an invaluable tool in finding a potential cause for the pain. Being an equine veterinarian in Ocala means we evaluate a lot of horses and have seen a wide range of lameness issues. Here's how we use imaging to help come to a diagnosis and create a treatment plan.
Ruling Out Causes with a Manual Exam
The first thing our vet does before bringing out the imaging equipment is performing a manual exam on all four legs. It may look obvious to you that your horse is lame on only one leg, but it's always good to determine if there's an issue brewing on another leg or if there's an abscess in the hoof that's about to erupt. And sometimes the vet can find inflammation with their eyes and hands that won't show up on an imaging device. Old-fashioned veterinary techniques often find the source of an issue and give you answers as to what's wrong with your horse.
When the Cause of Lameness Isn't Obvious
Sometimes horses go lame with no obvious cause. All of your attempts to get your horse walking sound again aren't working and conservative veterinary treatments haven't found the needed answers. This is the time when the vet has to use equine ultrasonography to get a look at the internal structures of the leg to see what's going on.
Sonography uses sound waves to create a visual image of a horse's leg on the outside and inside. It can detect issues like low-grade inflammation that can't be detected by other means, tears in the tendon, and fractures in the splint bone. The vet examines the images to look for abnormalities that show there's an ongoing problem. From there, the veterinarian can prescribe appropriate treatment for the horse.
Doing a Lameness Exam for a Sale
Buying a horse can be an expensive undertaking, and oftentimes a guarantee of soundness is part of the sale arrangement. Having an equine veterinarian in Ocala perform a soundness exam prior to a sale can help both parties complete the sale satisfactorily. A complete soundness exam shows the current state of the horse, old injuries if any, and the potential for long-term soundness with the intended use of the horse.
Contact Us for an Appointment
We at the Winner's Circle equine clinic specialize in providing lameness exams for horse owners in the Ocala area. Call our veterinary clinic today at (706) 202-5476 to talk to us about our services and to set up an appointment.