Lameness examinations are one of the more common reasons for having a veterinarian examine your horse. If your horse stops performing at a level requisite of your sport, we identify the problem in a process we call a lameness exam. This evaluation will lead us to a suitable treatment that will enable your horse to perform. We use a variety of techniques to identify the source/s of lameness. By having an experienced equine veterinarian examine your horse problems can be identified more readily and specific treatment initiated.
Techniques include;
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- A complete physical exam
- Palpation of of the appropriate musculoskeletal structures for pain, heat, swelling or soreness.
- Flexion tests
- Regional anaethesisa – this includes both joint blocks and regional nerve blocks
- Digital radiography
- Ultrasound
A performance limiting lameness cannot be effectively treated without a specific diagnosis. While some sources of lameness such as sole bruising, foot abscesses, splints etc are common and more easily diagnosed, lameness resulting from soft tissue injuries can be more subtle and manifest as poor performance or as a reluctance to perform specific movements.