46TH
ANNUAL
CONGRESS
OF
THE
SAEVA
SKUKUZA
16-‐20
FEBRUARY
2014
71
Catastrophic distal forelimb
musculoskeletal injuries associated
with racetracks in Gauteng,
South Africa from 1998-2012
Spargo KE1*, Rubio-Martinez L2, Cilliers I3, Wheeler DP4, Guthrie A5, Fletcher L6 and
Carstens A1
1
Section Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary
Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, 2Equine division, University of Liverpool,
Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, CH64 7TE, Neston, United Kingdom, 3Section Equine
Medicine and Surgery, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary
Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, 4National Horseracing Authority of Southern
Africa, Turf Club Street, Turffontein, Johannesburg, South Africa 5Equine Research Centre, Faculty of
Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, 6Department of Statistics, Faculty of
Economic and Management Sciences, University of Pretoria.
Introduction: Catastrophic musculoskeletal limb injuries on the track are
disconcerting and unsettling, often resulting in the immediate ending of a racehorse’s
career. Numerous studies on the incidence rates and factors influencing injuries and
fatalities have been reported in most of the major racing countries around the world.
Limited published data on the incidence rates and factors influencing this on South
Africans racetracks is available. The factors which have shown potential for
increasing the risk of injury are age, gender, track surface type and condition,
distance of race, number of previous starts and time interval between races.
Objectives: To describe and report the incidence of the types of catastrophic
musculoskeletal injuries (CMIs) of the distal forelimb leading to immediate euthanasia
in racing Thoroughbreds on Gauteng racetracks and also to identify their associated
risk factors.
Methods: Fifty-three racing Thoroughbred cadaver distal forelimbs, from horses
that were euthanized due to sustaining a forelimb fracture or rupture of the
suspensory apparatus on a Gauteng racetrack between 1998-2012, were evaluated in
this study. Each limb had five radiographic views taken from mid Mc3 to distal P3,
centred on the fetlock joint. Full dissections were then conducted on each limb
noting the extent of the injuries. (Approved: Animal Ethics Committee, University of
Pretoria. Protocol no. V020/13)
Results: Proximal sesamoid bone fractures were the most common CMI with 89%
of the horses sustaining this type of injury. The other CMI incidence rates in the
study population were; condylar fractures (11.32%), sub-luxated metacarpal (MCP)
joints (11,32%), fully luxated MCP joints (11.32%), rupture of the sesamoidean
ligament (7.54%), proximal P1 fractures (3.77%) and metacarpus three fractures
(3.77%). Seventy-four percent of all the affected limbs were of the left forelimb and
79% were of male gender and of those 68% were geldings. Risk factors, which were
identified as having the strongest potential for being statistically significant in affecting
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