Biomedical subjects

W Moyer

Publications and source records attributed to W Moyer.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Deep digital flexor tenotomy as a treatment for chronic laminitis in horses: 35 cases (1988-1997)

OBJECTIVE: To determine long-term prognosis for horses with laminitis treated by deep digital flexor (DDF) tenotomy and to identify factors affecting success of the surgical procedure. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 35 horses with laminitis treated by DDF tenotomy between 1988 and 1997. PROCEDURE: Information was obtained from individual medical records and follow-up telephone interviews with owners and referring veterinarians. Cumulative proportions of horses that survived 6 months and 2 years after tenotomy were determined. Effect of Obel grade of lameness on 6-month and 2-year survival and effect of distal phalangeal rotation on survival and future performance were evaluated by chi 2 analysis. Body weights of horses that survived > or = 2 years were compared with those of horses that survived < 2 years by ANOVA. RESULTS: 27 of the 35 (77%) horses survived > or = 6 months, and 19 of 32 (59%) survived > 2 years. Obel grade of lameness and body weight at time of surgery had no effect on 6-month or 2-year survival. Degree of distal phalangeal rotation had no effect on 2-year survival or the ability of horses to be used for light riding. Twenty-two of the 30 (73%) owners interviewed indicated they would have the procedure repeated on their horses given similar circumstances. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: DDF tenotomy is a viable alternative for horses with laminitis refractory to conventional medical treatment. In some instances, the procedure may be effective in returning horses to light athletic use.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1997

Racing-related factors and results of prerace physical inspection and their association with musculoskeletal injuries incurred in thoroughbreds during races.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare data from Thoroughbreds that sustained musculoskeletal injuries while racing with data from matched control horses. DESIGN: Matched case-control study. ANIMALS: 216 Thoroughbreds that sustained a musculoskeletal injury while racing and 532 horses from the same races that were not injured. PROCEDURE: Data regarding racing history, race-entrant characteristics, racing events determined by analysis of videotapes of races, and results of prerace physical inspections were determined for all horses. Injured horses were compared with control horses by using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Results of prerace inspection by regulatory veterinarians were significantly associated with injury. Odds of musculoskeletal injury, injury of the suspensory apparatus of the forelimb, and injury of the tendon of the superficial digital flexor muscle of the forelimb were 5.5 to 13.5 times greater among horses assessed to be at increased risk of injury by regulatory veterinarians on the basis of results of prerace inspection than for horses not considered to be at increased risk of injury. Odds of an abnormal finding in the suspensory ligament during prerace inspection were 3.4 times greater among horses that injured the suspensory apparatus than among control horses, and odds of an abnormal finding in the tendon of the superficial digital flexor muscle during prerace inspection were 15 times greater among horses that injured the tendon than among control horses. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Regulatory veterinarians can identify horses during prerace physical inspection that have an increased risk of injury during races. Prerace physical inspections could be used to reduce the risk of injury to Thoroughbreds during races.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Case-control study of risk factors for the development of laminitis in the contralateral limb in Equidae with unilateral lameness.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors associated with development of laminitis of the supporting limb in Equidae with unilateral laminitis and to determine the radiographic appearance of this type of laminitis. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of medical records. ANIMALS: 20 Equidae with unilateral lameness that developed laminitis of the contralateral limb. PROCEDURE: Case animals were compared with matched and unmatched populations of control animals that did not develop contralateral limb laminitis. Lateromedial radiographic projections of affected feet were evaluated for evidence of laminitis. RESULTS: Body weight of case animals was not significantly different from that of control animals, but number of days that control animals were lame prior to recovery was significantly less than number of days that case animals were lame prior to the onset of laminitis. Lateromedial radiographic projections of the foot of the support limb were available for 16 of the 20 case animals. For all 16, thickness of the soft tissue dorsal to the distal phalanx was > 29% of the palmar cortical length of the distal phalanx, but only 1 had evidence of rotation of the distal phalanx. The proportion of case animals that were euthanatized was significantly greater than the proportion of control animals that were euthanatized. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Duration of lameness, but not body weight, was a risk factor for development of laminitis in the contralateral limb in Equidae with unilateral lameness, and animals that developed this complication were more likely to be euthanatized than were animals that did not.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Articular fracture of the dorsoproximolateral aspect of the third metatarsal bone in five standardbred racehorses.

Articular fracture of the dorsoproximolateral aspect of the third metatarsal bone (MT3) caused an acute onset of lameness in 5 horses; however, 3 of the horses had historical and radiographic or scintigraphic evidence of chronic tarsal and metatarsal disease before fracture. The pathogenesis of dorsoproximolateral fracture of MT3 remains unclear, but the fracture may occur as a result of the formation of abnormal bone in the proximal aspect of MT3. The prognosis for racing in horses with this fracture appears to be guarded.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Racing performance of standardbreds after conservative and surgical treatment for tarsocrural osteochondrosis.

A retrospective study of 114 Standardbred horses diagnosed with osteochondrosis (OC) of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia was carried out, and their subsequent race records were compared with 456 control horses. Each OC-affected horse was compared with 4 horses randomly selected from a list of horses matched to it by year of birth, sex and sire. The horses with OC were treated by arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments (N = 58) or managed conservatively (N = 56). The clinical presentation of these two groups was similar, although joint effusion was a more common presenting sign in the group that received surgical treatment. There was no association between presence of lameness and the type of treatment used. Data from the race records of treated and control horses (including the number of starts, lifetime earnings and record racing times) were compared. Overall, horses treated for OC had significantly fewer starts than, but earnings similar to, those in the control group. However, when stratification by sex was performed, females with OC made fewer starts and had lower earnings than did their control group. There was no significant difference in record time between OC-affected horses and controls. These results indicate that horses treated for osteochondrosis of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia performed as well as matched controls.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Relative incidence of dorsal metacarpal disease in young Thoroughbred racehorses training on two different surfaces.

The relative incidence of dorsal metacarpal disease was examined in two groups of Thoroughbred racehorses training on dissimilar surfaces (dirt and wood fibre). The horses and training methods appeared to be similar. The incidence of disease was significantly greater in the group training on dirt. There was no significant difference in the age distribution of incidence between the two groups and there was no association of incidence with sex or age within the training group. The number of fast miles worked by the two groups prior to the onset of dorsal metacarpal disease was lower in the group training on dirt.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Clinical examination of the equine foot.

The foot is the most common source of limb pain. The problems vary from simple to quite complex. An accurate diagnosis is dependent upon a thorough and detailed knowledge of anatomy and of what is available in the way of ancillary examination techniques. The correction of most foot problems requires an appreciation of a multitude of factors and a thorough knowledge of farrier science.

Animals↗

PubMed1989