With more than three decades of experience as a veterinary practitioner, Phillip Kapraun, DVM, focuses the majority of his work on treating show and racehorses. Dr. Phillip Kapraun specializes in the detection of osteochondrosis dessicans (OCD) in Standardbred yearlings.
OCD is a condition that hinders the normal formation of cartilage in the joints of young horses. Affecting between 5 percent and 25 percent of all horses, the disease occurs when thickened bone takes over the joint’s cartilage matter. This dissecting lesion typically either breaks through the surface of the joint or completely disconnects from it. It is most common for horses to experience OCD in only a single joint.
Researchers have pinpointed several potential causes of OCD. Many horses are genetically predisposed to experience the disease. Other common causes include periods of rapid growth or joint trauma during development. Even nutrition can increase a horse’s risk of developing OCD, particularly if they eat a diet lacking in copper.
When OCD manifests in horses, they commonly experience swelling in their stifle, hock, or fetlock joints. Aside from this visible manifestation, horses sometimes display at least some level of lameness, ranging from stiff movement to severe limping. Veterinarians also can diagnose OCD by feeling the affected area for joint distention, which can exhibit as irregular bone shape or detached lesions.
