Femoral head ostectomy to treat a donkey for coxofemoral luxation

Ferenc Toth, University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Henry S. Adair, III, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
TEC Holder
James Schumacher

Abstract

Coxofemoral luxation occurs uncommonly in horses and donkeys (Malark et al. 1992). Young equids are most commonly affected, and the most common cause is trauma (Garcia-Lopez et al. 2001). Several techniques have been advocated for the treatment of horses with the condition. In one study, reluxation after closed reduction occurred in 4 out of 5 horses (Malark et al. 1992). Accounts of femoral head and neck ostectomy performed in cattle report a good prognosis for growing to full adult weight (Squire et al. 1991), whereas accounts of femoral head and neck ostectomy performed in horses and ponies describe multiple complications, such as upward fixation of the patella and osteoarthritis of the coxofemoral joint (Platt et al. 1990; Squire et al. 1991). This report describes the successful outcome of an adult donkey suffering from coxofemoral luxation treated by femoral head ostectomy.