RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIND-LIMB LAMENESS AND RADIOGRAPHIC SIGNS OF BONE SPAVIN IN ICELANDIC HORSES IN SWEDEN

A field study was designed to estimate the prevalence of hind limb lam eness in a population of Icelandic horses in Sweden. All available Ice landic horses at 11 different farms within 150 km from Uppsala were ex amined once during a study period of 13 months. The relationship betwe en hind limb lameness and radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) was investigated. The rate of agreement between the outcome after palpati on, motion evaluation and flexion test and radiographic examination wa s established. A total of 379 horses including 238 geldings, 125 mares and 16 stallions, with mean age 8.1 years (range 1-19 years) were exa mined by palpation of the medial aspect of the tarsal joints, motion e valuation and flexion test of the hind limbs. One dorsolateral-plantar omedial oblique radiographic view was recorded from each tarsus. Palpa ble abnormalities were found in 118 horses (31%). Forty-three horses ( 12%) were lame at presentation, 94 horses (25%) were positive on flexi on test and 88 horses (23%) had RSBS. There was a significant relation ship between palpable abnormalities, lameness, positive flexion test a nd RSBS. The proportion of joints with RSBS increased with increasing severity of physical findings. The proportion of lame limbs increased with increasing radiographic changes. The presence of palpable finding s or positive flexion test was not influenced by the grading of radiog raphic changes. Using palpation, motion evaluation, and flexion test 7 5% of the horses with RSBS were identified. The rate of agreement betw een the clinical examination and the radiographic examination was 73%.