What Is A Dirt Lesion Horse?

DIRT Lesion/ OCD. Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD) is a developmental disease in growing horses in which there is failure of normal bone formation from cartilage. OCD lesions consist of a fragment of bone and cartilage that is not completely attached to the parent bone.

What does dirt lesion stand for?

Hock osteochondrosis dessicans (OCD)
Lesions at the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia (DIRT) followed by the lateral trochlear ridge of the tibiotarsal bone are the two most frequent anatomic sites of OCD in the hock. DIRT lesions are more common in two-year-old cutting horses than yearlings.

What causes OCD lesions in horses?

OCD is usually caused by a combination of several factors acting together, including: Rapid growth and large body size. Nutrition: Diets very high in energy or have an imbalance in trace minerals (low copper diets) Genetics: Risk of OCD may be partially inherited.

What is the most common site for an OCD lesion in a horse stifle?

) is a common cause of stifle lameness in young horses. Lesions in the stifle most commonly occur on the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur but may also occur on the medial trochlear ridge, in the intertrochlear groove, or on the patella.

Are OCD lesions in horses genetic?

There is evidence to suggest that there is a genetic or inheritable basis to OCD, or at least to its predisposition. Traumatic damage to the cartilage within joints may also occur particularly due to excessive exercise or conversely following prolonged box rest, contributing to the development of OCD.

What age do horses develop OCD?

Most OCD lesions develop before a horse is 7 months old, but the condition may not be diagnosed until later in life once training begins and the joint becomes stressed. OCD lesions are commonly diagnosed during pre-purchase exams.

Can foals grow too fast?

Growing too fast is a concern for creating skeletal problems that may affect a foal’s eventual athletic performance and health. Do not allow a growing horse to put on excess weight or grow too quickly because it might affect skeletal fitness at a later age.

Can an OCD lesion heal on its own?

Nonsurgical options include:
Healing of the osteochondritis dissecans lesion should be monitored by routine follow-up imaging tests. In many younger children who still have a lot of growing to do, the lesion often heals on its own. Surgical intervention may be needed if nonsurgical treatment is not effective.

How long does it take an OCD lesion to heal?

Osteochondritis dissecans happens most often in the knee, elbow, or ankle. It usually takes 3 months or longer to heal completely. If it heals completely, kids who have it usually don’t have any long-lasting problems.

How do you treat OCD lesions?

Treatment

1. Resting your joint. Avoid activities that stress your joint, such as jumping and running if your knee is affected.
2. Physical therapy. Most often, this therapy includes stretching, range-of-motion exercises and strengthening exercises for the muscles that support the involved joint.

What happens if osteochondritis dissecans is left untreated?

If left untreated, osteochondritis dissecans can damage the cartilage in the joint, and loose pieces of bone and cartilage may even break off into the joint. In the long term, untreated osteochondritis dissecans can also lead to arthritis. Osteochondritis dissecans most commonly affects the knee, ankle and elbow.

Why is osteochondritis dissecans so painful?

Osteochondritis dissecans (os-tee-o-kon-DRY-tis DIS-uh-kanz) is a joint condition in which bone underneath the cartilage of a joint dies due to lack of blood flow. This bone and cartilage can then break loose, causing pain and possibly hindering joint motion.

What causes OCD in stifles?

The cause of OCD has generally been considered a defect in bone mineralization at the joint surface. The paradigm has been that for some reason endochondral ossification does not occur correctly at a site, leaving an area of thickened retained cartilage which then is secondarily displaced as a flap or fragment.

What breed would be most likely to have osteochondritis dissecans?

Large and giant breeds, including great Danes, Labrador retrievers, Newfoundlands, rottweilers, Bernese mountain dogs, English setters, and old English sheepdogs are predisposed to this condition.

Is osteochondritis dissecans a rare disease?

Frequency. Familial osteochondritis dissecans is a rare condition, although the prevalence is unknown. Sporadic osteochondritis dissecans is more common; it is estimated to occur in the knee in 15 to 29 per 100,000 individuals.

How common is osteochondritis dissecans?

The incidence of OCD in the general population is estimated to be 15 to 30 cases per 100,000 persons. Although rare, it is recognized as an important cause of joint pain in active adolescents. OCD has typically been known to affect males between 10 and 20 years of age.

Do horses remember you after years?

Horses also understand words better than expected, according to the research, and possess “excellent memories,” allowing horses to not only recall their human friends after periods of separation, but also to remember complex, problem-solving strategies for ten years or more.

Can horses feel your anxiety?

According to results of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, horses do seem to read some signals to indicate whether a nearby person is stressed or afraid, at least in certain circumstances.

How do they test for OCD in horses?

Diagnosis can be made based on the clinical signs, but these may be subtle and X-rays are usually necessary to confirm the condition. X-rays only show bone clearly, however, not cartilage.

What age is a horse its fastest?

We find that a typical horse’s peak racing age is 4.45 years. The rate of improvement from age 2 to 4 1/2 is greater than the rate of decline after age 4 1/2. A typical horse will improve by 10 (horse) lengths in sprints (less than 1 mile) and 15 lengths in routes (one mile or greater) from age 2 to 4 1/2.

What age is a horse fastest at?

The running performance of Thoroughbred racehorses has been reported to peak when they are between 4 and 5 years old.