Cervical articular process joint osteochondrosis in Warmblood foals

Area of Science:

• Equine orthopedics
• Developmental orthopedic diseases
• Veterinary pathology

Background:

• Degenerative joint disease contributes to cervical malformation and malarticulation (CVM) in Warmblood horses.
• The specific role of articular process joint (APJ) osteochondrosis (OC) in CVM pathogenesis is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predilection sites for APJ OC in the cervical and cranial thoracic vertebral columns of Warmblood foals.
• To determine if APJ OC predilection sites correlate with CVM predilection sites.

Main Methods:

• A case series examining 700 APJ facets (C2 to T2) in 29 Warmblood foals (from 11 months gestation to 12 months old).
• Evaluation of OC prevalence and distribution within joints.
• Assessment of CVM predilection sites in the cranial cervical vertebral column.

Main Results:

• Osteochondrosis (OC) was present in 20.6% of examined facets, with no specific predilection site identified.
• OC prevalence decreased with age up to one year but severity increased with age across all ranges.
• Highest OC prevalence was observed in cranial facets of cervical/cervical-thoracic joints and caudal facets of thoracic joints, particularly in younger foals.

Conclusions:

• Articular process joint OC is a common finding in Warmblood foals.
• The prevalence of APJ OC does not align with CVM predilection sites.
• These findings suggest that abnormalities in enchondral ossification may not be a primary factor in the development of CVM.