A member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, Dr. Phillip Kapraun is a private practice veterinarian with expertise in diagnosing lameness in racing quarter horses and standardbred racing horses. Dr. Phillip Kapraun has more than 30 years of experience in early detection and removal of abnormal joint cartilage in yearling standardbred racehorses.
In horses, joint cartilage may become abnormally thick. When this occurs, diffusion of nutrients through the thickened surface to the inner layers reduces significantly or stops, and the inner (basal) layers will start to degenerate. This makes the horse susceptible to fissures or cracks in the joint area during exercise. The damage can cause obvious symptoms in horses, such as swelling and pain.
Sometimes, joint cartilage damage can result in additional complications. One common occurrence, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), happens when a piece of cartilage detaches from the remainder of the joint either partially (hanging around the joint and forming a flap) or completely. In either case, inflammation of the joint may take place, resulting in juvenile arthritis, a common cause of lameness in horses.
In horses, joint cartilage may become abnormally thick. When this occurs, diffusion of nutrients through the thickened surface to the inner layers reduces significantly or stops, and the inner (basal) layers will start to degenerate. This makes the horse susceptible to fissures or cracks in the joint area during exercise. The damage can cause obvious symptoms in horses, such as swelling and pain.
Sometimes, joint cartilage damage can result in additional complications. One common occurrence, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), happens when a piece of cartilage detaches from the remainder of the joint either partially (hanging around the joint and forming a flap) or completely. In either case, inflammation of the joint may take place, resulting in juvenile arthritis, a common cause of lameness in horses.
