Shell (disease)

A chronic joint disease ( osteoarthritis ) of the toe joints in ungulates , especially horses , is referred to as a shell . It usually manifests itself in a lameness on one or more legs. In the early stages, the disease manifests itself in soft tissue swelling and increased body heat in the affected area. The diagnosis can only be confirmed by an X-ray examination .

Emergence

The shell develops after trauma (for example, an injury from a strong hoof impact) or a strain in the tissue in the area of ​​the fetlock , coronet or coffin bone . A distinction is made between an articular shell with bone growth ( osteophytes ) on the fetlock or coronet joint ("high shell") or at the coffin joint ("deep shell") and an extra-articular shell , which leads to inflammatory changes in the area around the joint.

therapy

If the disease is treated before abnormal bone growth caused by the disease occurs, treatment usually consists of holding and immobilizing the affected legs with a fixative bandage for three to four months. The horses are often given a horseshoe with a strong toe direction to further limit joint movement. If bone growth has already developed, rest and anti-inflammatory drugs can help alleviate the symptoms, but they will not regress. The lameness caused by the disease usually persists until the joint has completely stiffened . If the prognosis is positive, surgical joint stiffening may be indicated to accelerate the treatment process .

literature

• Ted S. Stashak, Horst Wissdorf: Adams' lameness in horses . Schlütersche, 4th edition 2007, ISBN 9783794402199 . Pp. 554-558.

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !