Vertebral Anatomic Variations in Thoroughbred Racehorses in Trinidad

Reda Mohamed

doi:10.37940/ajvs.2021.14.2.1

Abstract

Reports of the occurrence of lumbar vertebrae variants in horses in Trinidad are rare in the literatures. Parts of the skeletons of two horses of unknown age and sex that died in a horse farm in Trinidad and Tobago were brought to the Anatomy laboratory. It was reported that specimens of fused left transverse processes of the 5th and 6th lumbar vertebrae and a blunted left transverse process of the 6th lumbar vertebra in thoroughbred racehorses in Trinidad.

Highlights

The vertebral column is important for locomotion, weight-bearing and soft tissue attachment sites
There are no intertransverse joints at birth but they develop soon thereafter [1]
Part of the skeletons of two horses of unknown age and sex that died in a horse farm in Trinidad and Tobago were brought to the Anatomy laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the function by limiting the range of lumbar motion, provide resistance to lateral bending and axial rotation of the spine and help in the transfer of propulsive forces from the hind limbs to vertebral column [5, 8, 9]

Summary

Introduction

The vertebral column is important for locomotion, weight-bearing and soft tissue attachment sites. The domestic horse normally has 6 lumbar vertebrae [1]. The lumbar vertebrae are characterized by elongated, horizontally flattened transverse processes for attachment with large dorsal paraspinal muscles and ventral psoas muscle group [2]. Domestic horses have intertransverse synovial articulations at the lumbosacral junction and between the transverse processes of the last two or three lumbar vertebrae [4, 5] which help in the transfer of propulsive forces from the hind limb to the vertebral column [2]. The importance of the equine thoracolumbar vertebral column in orthopedic disorders is well recognized and diagnostic imaging becomes more feasible [6]

The intertransverse joints have a stabilizing

Knowledge of normal spinal morphology and

ANKYLOSING LESIONS OF SPINE