The fetlock joint in the racing Thoroughbred: * What are the clinical problems, what do we know about them and what do we need to find out?

摘要

The fetlock joint is the most common site of injury and musculoskeletal disease in the Thoroughbred racehorse. Acute, catastrophic fractures of its component parts (third metacarpal/ metatarsal, first phalanx and proximal sesamoid bones) account for the majority of deaths on the racecourse and the joint is frequently affected by degenerative conditions that often cause reduced performance and premature retirement.