LESÕES PODAIS EM ASININOS (Equus asinus) UTILIZADOS EM VEÍCULOS DE TRAÇÃO ANIMAL NA CIDADE DE SÃO LUÍS, MARANHÃO

Abstract

Forty male and female animals, aged between 2.5 and 1 6years were clinically and radiographically examined inorder to study the occurrence of lesions of the distalphalanx of forelimbs in cart horses. The clinicalexamination showed that 20% of the animals had grade 2lameness, due, mainly, to hoof irregularity, sole damage and frog destruction. Radiographic exam showed 100% of pedal osteitis, 22.5% of phalanx fracture and 17.5% of phalanx rotation. Despite the severe level of injury in the third phalanx, animals did not show clinical signs consistent with the radiographic findings, concluding that donkeys are very resistant and that the lesions observed in the distal phalanx affect to a lesser extent the carrying out of these animal's activities.

Keywords

• Cart
• horses
• musculoskeletal
• physical examination
• radiograph