LIMB DEFORMITIES IN FOALS

Limb deformities are relatively common in new born foals. They may occur in association with nutritional factors, uterine position, genetic determination or other congenital factors and range in magnitude from mild to severe. There are five main types of deformity:

> Angular — where the extremities deviate in or out from the midline eg “knock knees” (common and usually easily corrected) to the much more serious “bow legs”.
> Axial — shifting in or out from the midline eg offset knees.
> Rotational — limb itself in alignment but rotated relative to the body.
> Spiral — twisting within a long bone.
> Flexor abnormalities — too much laxity or contraction of flexor tendons.

Many foals have deformities when born but improve rapidly if kept in a well-bedded stable. Any foal that can not stand up and nurse on its own should be seen immediately by a vet and carry a poor prognosis. In young foals there is much potential for correcting deformities, however, once the growth plates close there is essentially no further correction possible.

Treatment options vary with the type of deformity, the age of the foal and the severity of the deformity. Treatment includes such things as:

Self correction — eg a foal that is slightly turned out when young (desirable) will become straight as it matures and its chest expands pushing its elbows out (conversely the foal that is perfectly straight is likely to end up pigeon toed).

Stall rest — many deformities are worsened by excessive activity both through muscle fatigue and “breaking over” the wrong side of the limb. Excessive movement may also put strain on parts of the limb that are not designed to carry it.

Therapeutic Trimming — may be very helpful for minor deviations and it is important for maintenance throughout the growth phase as even weanlings that were previously correct can rapidly develop deformities if, for example their hoof breaks away on one side.

Splinting — must be undertaken with extreme caution as foals are very thin skinned and are very prone to severe pressure sores.

Hoof extensions — application of fibreglass extensions to a foal’s foot can be very effective in correcting even quite marked deformities. Extensions may also be applied to a foal’s heels for support if tendon laxity is present.

Surgical correction — can be used to either accelerate growth on one side (eg periosteal stripping) or retard growth on the other side of the limb (eg screws and wires or staples).

Medical therapy — oxytetracyclines can be used in foals with flexor contraction.

If you have any concerns about the state of your young horse’s legs, please feel free to contact us for assessment and development of a treatment/management plan tailored to your foal’s needs.