KY Necropsy Program Disproves 'Bad Step' Myth
Oct 20, 2014 22:08:24 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Oct 20, 2014 22:08:24 GMT -5
Too many sore horses run everyday doped up to not feel pain. I know it's "the game" but it sucks.
KY Necropsy Program Disproves 'Bad Step' Myth
By Tom LaMarra
Bloodhorse
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission necropsy program is continuing to provide evidence that many racehorses to suffer catastrophic injuries often have pre-existing conditions that lead to breakdowns.
An Oct. 20 symposium on "Racetrack Injury Prevention," held at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as part of the college's Department of Veterinary Science seminar series, shed more light on the subject. The KHRC necropsy program was launched in 2009 and is overseen by KHRC equine medical director Dr. Mary Scollay.
During the Welfare of the Racehorse Summit held earlier this year in Lexington, Scollay addressed what she called the myth of the "bad step" in regard to the breakdown of horses in racing and training. At the Oct. 20 symposium, Dr. Laura Kennedy, assistant professor at the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the individual who performs necropsies, provided research that supports that contention.
"It happens," Kennedy said of horses taking bad steps on the track and suffering catastrophic injuries. "But in the vast majority of cases it's just not true. Does it exist at all? Probably, but it's usually a culmination of all the damage (sustained) up to that point."
The KHRC necropsy program began in January 2010. From that point through mid-2012, post-mortems were performed on horses that died from racing injuries; from mid-2012 to the present, fatal training injuries were examined.
Kennedy said that of 155 racehorse deaths, 136 were musculoskeletal and 19 non-musculoskeletal. There were 38 condylar fractures and 38 sesamoid fractures; of the condylar fractures half also involved sesamoids.
In a presentation that included numerous photos of parts of limbs removed from horses during necropsies, Kennedy showed that most cases involved pre-existing conditions as evidenced by fibrosis and new bone development. The KHRC necropsy program employs MRI technology that must be performed within 36 hours of death.
Kennedy said an important aspect of the necropsy program is a mortality review, which involves a group of people including the trainer of the horse.
In one case, a Thoroughbred was 4 1/2 years old before it was broken to ride. The horse made its first start as a 5-year-old and won, but returned a month later and suffered a catastrophic injury, she said.
The necropsy revealed the horse had dorsal metacarpal disease, commonly referred to as bucked shins.
"His bones were just not able to adapt," Kennedy said. "The trainer was very appreciative of the (mortality review). As sad as this was, it will not happen to another horse in her care. That's why I say we're not too late."
In another case, Kennedy noted a horse that suffered a humeral fracture, which probably had underlying pathology. She said such cases often come off layoffs of about 90 days for horses believed to have "vague lameness" and return to training quickly.
The horse in question was laid off for about 90 days, returned for a workout and sustained a humeral fracture that led to a catastrophic injury. The necropsy revealed fibrosis, new bone development, and lesions.
Kennedy said there is more to be done. She hopes the necropsy program expands to entail further evaluation of pre-existing conditions, more advanced imaging, biochemical examinations, and a closer look at soft-tissue injuries.
"Where is the bridge between soft-tissue and musculoskeletal injuries?" she said.
In an earlier presentation, Dr. David Horohov, interim director of the UK Gluck Equine Research Center and interim chair of the Department of Veterinary Science, discussed inflammatory gene expression in racehorses. He said inflammation is an initial response to injury and can be a result of mechanical damage, lactic acid accumulation, free radical accumulation, and damage-associated molecular patterns.
Horses at risk to injury will display an increase in inflammatory gene expression, he said.
KY Necropsy Program Disproves 'Bad Step' Myth
By Tom LaMarra
Bloodhorse
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission necropsy program is continuing to provide evidence that many racehorses to suffer catastrophic injuries often have pre-existing conditions that lead to breakdowns.
An Oct. 20 symposium on "Racetrack Injury Prevention," held at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as part of the college's Department of Veterinary Science seminar series, shed more light on the subject. The KHRC necropsy program was launched in 2009 and is overseen by KHRC equine medical director Dr. Mary Scollay.
During the Welfare of the Racehorse Summit held earlier this year in Lexington, Scollay addressed what she called the myth of the "bad step" in regard to the breakdown of horses in racing and training. At the Oct. 20 symposium, Dr. Laura Kennedy, assistant professor at the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the individual who performs necropsies, provided research that supports that contention.
"It happens," Kennedy said of horses taking bad steps on the track and suffering catastrophic injuries. "But in the vast majority of cases it's just not true. Does it exist at all? Probably, but it's usually a culmination of all the damage (sustained) up to that point."
The KHRC necropsy program began in January 2010. From that point through mid-2012, post-mortems were performed on horses that died from racing injuries; from mid-2012 to the present, fatal training injuries were examined.
Kennedy said that of 155 racehorse deaths, 136 were musculoskeletal and 19 non-musculoskeletal. There were 38 condylar fractures and 38 sesamoid fractures; of the condylar fractures half also involved sesamoids.
In a presentation that included numerous photos of parts of limbs removed from horses during necropsies, Kennedy showed that most cases involved pre-existing conditions as evidenced by fibrosis and new bone development. The KHRC necropsy program employs MRI technology that must be performed within 36 hours of death.
Kennedy said an important aspect of the necropsy program is a mortality review, which involves a group of people including the trainer of the horse.
In one case, a Thoroughbred was 4 1/2 years old before it was broken to ride. The horse made its first start as a 5-year-old and won, but returned a month later and suffered a catastrophic injury, she said.
The necropsy revealed the horse had dorsal metacarpal disease, commonly referred to as bucked shins.
"His bones were just not able to adapt," Kennedy said. "The trainer was very appreciative of the (mortality review). As sad as this was, it will not happen to another horse in her care. That's why I say we're not too late."
In another case, Kennedy noted a horse that suffered a humeral fracture, which probably had underlying pathology. She said such cases often come off layoffs of about 90 days for horses believed to have "vague lameness" and return to training quickly.
The horse in question was laid off for about 90 days, returned for a workout and sustained a humeral fracture that led to a catastrophic injury. The necropsy revealed fibrosis, new bone development, and lesions.
Kennedy said there is more to be done. She hopes the necropsy program expands to entail further evaluation of pre-existing conditions, more advanced imaging, biochemical examinations, and a closer look at soft-tissue injuries.
"Where is the bridge between soft-tissue and musculoskeletal injuries?" she said.
In an earlier presentation, Dr. David Horohov, interim director of the UK Gluck Equine Research Center and interim chair of the Department of Veterinary Science, discussed inflammatory gene expression in racehorses. He said inflammation is an initial response to injury and can be a result of mechanical damage, lactic acid accumulation, free radical accumulation, and damage-associated molecular patterns.
Horses at risk to injury will display an increase in inflammatory gene expression, he said.