X-RAY MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE HOOF ANATOMY OF HORSES OF EQUINE AND TROOPING BREEDS

Abstract

X-ray morphometric parameters of clinically healthy horses have significant variability depending on the mass of the animal and breed, which requires additional research among individual breeds to avoid diagnostic errors when assessing angular and morphological parameters.
The aim of the research was to substantiate and implement a comprehensive system of X-ray morphometric assessment of the distal limb of horses of riding and trotting breeds to establish reference anatomical and topographic parameters of the hoof bone relative to the horny cover and develop criteria for early diagnosis of orthopedic imbalance in laminitis. The radiographs were performed using a mobile X-ray apparatus of the "Arman-10LU" type, in the following mode: focal length 60 cm, operating voltage on the X-ray tube - 70-90 kV, exposure 6-10 mAs.
X-ray images were obtained using X-ray cassettes with a blue-sensitive CPB intensifying screen measuring 24×30 cm manufactured by Agfa, Belgium and films of the corresponding size by ONIKO RP-U, Ukraine.
X-ray films were processed using the G 150 developer by Agfa, Belgium and the G 354 fixer by ONIKO, Ukraine. The radiographs were studied using a single-frame negative scope OSD-HD301, (OSD, China). In addition to film radiographs, digital radiography was also performed using a wireless flat-panel DR panel (detector) with cesium iodide (CsI) technology, manufactured by VetiPad M1, China.
Despite the fact that the distal phalanx of horses and hoof leaflets are biomechanically and physiologically integrated, dislocation and structural changes of the distal phalanx are not sufficiently described in laminitis. Therefore, X-ray morphometric studies will allow us to optimize the laminitis classification scheme, which can be applied to a wide range of laminitis lesions.
As the initial, reference parameters, we chose morphometric calculations of radiographs of the hooves of the fore (n = 18) and hind (n = 18) limbs of horses without orthopedic pathology of riding and trotting breeds of different ages and sexes.
The obtained digital material was processed by methods of variational statistics using the parametric Student's t-test and discriminant analysis.
X-ray morphometric indicators of clinically healthy horses of riding and trotting breeds have clear breed variability with clearly defined reference limits, which should be taken into account when conducting X-ray morphometric calculations by analyzing the spatial relationships between the hoof capsule and bone structures of the finger in conditions of orthopedic pathology.
Morphometric differentiation of horse hooves occurs mainly due to the spatial geometry of the angles, rather than changes in linear dimensions. The key discriminatory features of the thoracic and pelvic limbs are angular characteristics that reflect functional specialization: the adaptation of the thoracic limbs to shock absorption, and the pelvic limbs to locomotor thrust. Prospects for further research include X-ray morphometric calculations of the degree of disruption of the spatial relationship between the hoof capsule and the bone structures of the toe when assessing laminitis lesions, medio-lateral imbalance in horses.