Lameness of the Horse / Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1

by John Victor Lacroix

Prognosis.—In adult animals, radial fracture constitutes a grave condition; generally speaking, prognosis, in such cases, is unfavorable. Because of the leverage afforded by the extremity, immobilization of the radius is difficult. Any sort of mechanical appliance, which will immobilize these parts, is likely to produce pressure-necrosis of the soft structures so contacted. There is occasioned thereby much pain and the subject becomes restive, unmanageable and sometimes the splints are completely deranged because of the animal's struggles, and much additional injury to the leg is done. Occasionally, an otherwise favorable case is thus rendered hopelessly impossible to handle, and the subject must be destroyed several days after treatment has been instituted.

Consequently, unless all conditions are good, and the affected animal a favorable subject, young, of good disposition, and the fracture a simple transverse one, complete recovery is not likely to result from any practical means of handling.

Treatment.—Mature subjects ought to be put in slings and kept so restrained throughout the entire time of treatment. Immobilization of the broken parts of the bone is the object sought. This is attempted by practitioners who employ various methods, and each method has its advocates.

Casts are used by some and serve very well in many cases; but because of their bulk and unyielding and rigid nature, they are not well adapted to use on fractures of bones proximal to the carpus and tarsus. This is in reference to plaster-of-paris casts or those of any similar material.

Appliances which depend on glue or other adhesive substances combined with leather, wood or fiber for their support, are efficacious but not comfortable.

The use of heavy leather when the member has been suitably padded with cotton and bandages, constitutes a very good manner of reducing fracture of the radius or of the tibia. Leather when cut to fit both the medial and lateral sides of a leg, and firmly held with bandages, will form a firm support that yields slightly to changes of position, thus making for comfort of the subject.

Such a splint or support should extend from the fetlock region to the elbow, but the cotton and bandages are to reach to the foot. When one considers that, with the supportive appliance placed on each side of the affected member, rigidity is accomplished as much from tensile strain put upon the leather as from its own stiffness, it is seen that the leather need not be of the heaviest—sole leather is unnecessary. Because of the more comfortable immobilizing appliance, the subject is less restive, and chances for a successful outcome are materially increased thereby.

In the mature subject, six or eight weeks' time is required for union of the parts to occur sufficiently so that splints may be dispensed with. Rearrangement of the supportive apparatus, however, is possible and usually necessary during the first few weeks of treatment. By employing care in handling the parts, the subject will be unlikely to do itself injury at the time readjustment of splints is being effected.

In foals, it is best to give them the run of a box stall with the mother. Being agile, they get up and lie at will without doing injury to the fractured member. The splints (leather is preferable in these cases also) are looked after and readjusted as necessity demands.