Diseases of the carpus.

Degenerative joint disease is the most frequently diagnosed problem of the carpus. Horses afflicted with this disease should not be injected with corticosteroids, but should be rested for several months. Swimming exercise and intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid during this time help to restore the integrity of the involved joints. Chip fractures of the various carpal bones and the distal radius are commonly diagnosed as the cause of the lameness. Not all horses with carpal fractures are candidates for surgery. It is important that the severity of the problem be realized and that the best treatment for the specific case be selected accordingly. Other less commonly diagnosed diseases of the carpus, such fractures of the accessory carpal bone, hygromas, luxations, and ganglions, were discussed. Many horses that have been retired from racing prior to complete ruination of their joints by multiple corticosteroid injections may be used for other purposes. It is therefore important in evaluating a lameness to keep in mind the type of work the patient is supposed to do. A race horse with a small carpal chip fracture may not make it back to the racetrack successfully, but may fulfill perfectly the requirements for a pleasure or timber horse.