Ringbone

[Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com]

I'm no vet, but my understanding is that "ringbone" is just a general
term for a very wide variety of arthritic degenerations in the short
and long pastern bones.  For some reason, some kind of stress is
being put on a small part of the pastern bones near (or in) the articular
surface.  In reaction, excess bone is deposited.  This excess bone can
be visible as the characteristic ringbone "little knobs."

The stress can be due to almost anything.  The horse was trimmed
crooked.  Club foot pulling the joints out of alignment.  Too much
stress where the ligaments attach (ligaments begin to calcify).  A
generally weak structure due to genetics.  Lousy conformation.
Misshapen joints due to old osteochondrosis and epiphisitis.
Bad nutrition and decalcification.  Too much climbing over rocks
on tough endurance races.  Anything.

Depending on where the arthritic degeneration and excess bone is
being deposited, ringbone can be severely debilitating or almost
completely benign.  There is a kind of "high ringbone"  (long pastern)
that occurs on the *outside* of the joint that is unsightly but has
no detectable effect on the horse's way of going.

But if the arthritic degeneration involves the articulating surfaces
in any way, or if it interferes with the joint's ability to flex freely
(the
excess bone acting like a door stop to the joint), then you've got
a major problem.

Most of what I know about ringbone I got from reading research veterinarian
James R. Rooney's standard work, "The Lame Horse."  This book
is available in paperback on almost any shelf of horsebooks.  Rooney
was at Cornell when he wrote the book and is now the senior researcher
at the University of Kentucky's veterinary research center.  The book
is excellent:  lots of x-rays to show and explain things.  One only wishes
he spent more time on each affliction.

I just visited Amazon.com.  They have a newly-revised version of
"The Lame Horse" (June, 1998).  I'm going to buy it when I get home.
Truly, this book is Textbook Number One for anybody with a question
about lameness.

The standard way to asses ringbone is X-rays.  Have your vets
taken x-rays?  Have you studied the x-rays with your vets?  Have they
pointed
out where the ringbone is and how it is interfering with motion?  Like with
many doctors, you gotta just keep asking questions to get the why's and
wherefore's behind the terse bottom line.

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com
Massachusetts, USA



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