Saturday, December 10, 2016

The Tolerable Club Foot

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
Aug 17, 2016

Is it worth taking a chance on a horse with a "clubby" foot?


It’s the classic horse-buying dilemma. The prospect you’ve been eyeing for some time (and, let’s face it, that you’ve already fallen in love with) has a clean prepurchase exam report except for one small thing: radiographic evidence of a club foot in his right front. It’s not like you’re planning to compete in the Olympics this summer, but can this horse still do what you want athletically and stay sound?

Veterinarians diagnose club feet pretty frequently, says Stephen O’Grady, DVM, of Virginia Therapeutic Farriery, in Keswick. In fact, in a 2012 study, researchers found that almost one-third (116 out of 373) of Thoroughbred foals developed a club foot during a four-year observation period.

In an attempt to solve this club foot conundrum (i.e., to buy or not to buy?), we will briefly review its appearance, how and possibly why it occurs, and, most importantly, what you can do about it. We will also address the potential complications associated with a club foot...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/38012/the-tolerable-club-foot?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=health-news&utm_campaign=08-23-2016

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