But horses have far more complex physiology than humans, and a broken leg can often cause damage to blood vessels and other tissue. Because horses can not stay off their feet for long periods, broken bones do not have a chance to heal, and so often sadly the kindest way to help a horse with a broken limb is to put it down.
The vets on the racecourse, in conjunction with the owner, will make a decision as to what is in the best interests of the horse. Racehorses enjoy a very high standard of care and quality of life when in training.
Maintaining a comparable quality of life is a key consideration when considering future options for a horse that has had a serious injury or condition.
Like any new website you might come across things that need fixing, please let us know and we will get these resolved as quickly as possible. Further movement can mean the horse can cause additional injury to itself, so it must be kept as still as possible.
American Association of Equine Practitioners. Fractures In Horses. A merican College Of Veterinary Surgeons. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.
Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Featured Video. Related Topics. Article Sources. Favoring a broken leg often forces the healthy legs to bear more than their share of the weight, and this — along with other factors — can increase the chances of developing crippling conditions like laminitis and abscesses [source: American Association of Equine Practitioners AAEP ].
The exact cause of laminitis an inflammatory disease of the material connecting the hoof to the leg bone, which can lead to their separation is unknown, but painful laminitis greatly increases the likelihood of euthanasia. Slings that wrap under the abdomen and hold the horse up taking the weight off the legs are commonly used for short periods of time but can't prevent laminitis.
Slings can be uncomfortable, cause bedsores and lead to serious gastrointestinal problems. If a sling is used for too long, the healed leg can't bear the horse's weight properly and laminitis could still develop. The weight of a horse must be evenly dispersed on all four legs [source: Young ]. Movement : Horses are animals that like to move and there's a big risk they might reinjure themselves at some point during the healing process.
A horse with a more relaxed disposition that doesn't mind having its movement restricted, usually has a better chance of properly healing. Infection : Open fractures are often complicated by infection, which can be further complicated depending on where the infection is located. Because horses don't have muscles below their hock joints similar to the human ankle , there aren't many blood vessels to carry antibodies to the site of infection, thus making it difficult to treat [source: Carson ].
This fact makes giving a horse antibiotics difficult as well. Giving a horse enough antibiotics to be effective can kill the horse's natural intestinal microorganisms and interact with important pain medication [source: Equine Medical Care ]. Pain : Overwhelming pain is a double-edged sword when it comes to horses.
Pain needs to be treated, but you run the risk of overmedicating the horse. If the horse feels totally pain-free, there's a good chance the animal might reinjure its leg. The severity of pain from common postoperative complications, such as laminitis, lies at the root of a decision to euthanize. Cost : The long and complicated process of bringing a horse back to good health can be expensive, and there's no guarantee it'll work.
Besides being cost-prohibitive, rehabilitation can be hindered by an absence of available facilities that can treat severely injured horses and a general lack of knowledge. The Winner's Circle. Horses have a very small chance of recovering from a broken leg due to a combination of factors. For example, a horse is more likely to recover from an incomplete fracture than a complete fracture.
Similarly, the younger and smaller the horse, the better its chance of recovery is. Bones in different areas of the leg also have varying chances of recovery. Do you have to euthanize a horse if it breaks its leg? Often the only humane option after a horse breaks its leg is to euthanize it. This is because horses have heavy bodies and delicate legs, and broken leg bones are usually shattered making surgery and recovery impossible.
Why do they put horses down because of a broken leg? There are many reasons why horses have to be put down as a result of a broken leg. The most common reason is that the majority of times, the horse has shattered their leg bone, making surgery impossible.
If surgery can be done, there are still significant risks. Horses spend the majority of their time standing even when they sleep and they have a very high flight risk, both of which increase the risk of re-injury during the healing period. Also, 60 to 65 percent of their weight is on their front legs, increasing the chance of developing crippling conditions like laminitis and abscesses during recovery.
Other factors include severe pain, infection and the high cost of treatment. How are horses euthanized on the track? Today's procedure of euthanizing a horse on the racetrack is more humane than the old shooting method. Horses with a broken leg are euthanized by a licensed veterinarian using an intravenous injection of barbiturates.
Do horses break their legs easily? Leg injuries, especially broken bones and joint issues, are common among horses. Also, 80 of the bones in a horse's body are located in its legs, increasing the likelihood of injuries in the region. American Association of Equine Practitioners U. Sources Associated Press.
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