The Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro, pulled up lame with a broken leg in the Preakness. Reports say his life may be in danger.
Which leads me to wonder (but does not “beg the question”): Why does a simple broken leg render a horse so incapacitated that it has to be euthanized? Some of these horses are worth millions; you’d think they could try casts, pins, surgery, whatever, to save a horse whose stud fees would make the expense worthwhile.
A dog or a person can survive a broken leg easily-- why not a horse?
There are certainly more qualified people who can explain this better, but from what I understand, it is difficult for an animal as large as a horse to convelece properly. While a human can sustain bedrest for few monthes, a horse will continuely try to move around and wind up reinjuring itself over and over again.
There is also issues related to a horses anatomy and the bloodflow to the legs, but I can’t really comment on that.
A broken leg on a horse isn’t a simple injury. Horses weigh much more than people and they can’t use crutches. It is possible to fix some breaks but the costs can be very, very high and you can’t count on any particular outcome. The horse may still be lame and horses can’t live like that.
It is usually just the cost factors and even a sense of respect for the animal to put it down after a bad break. Lesser injuries may be treated.
I can’t say why Barbaro’s life may be in danger. That may have been just news talk and he is still a colt so I am sure that of any horse people would try to save, it would be him. Most male horses are castrated for behavioral reasons so stud fees are often out of consideration.
Arrghh! I’m a douche-- I swear I always check first to make sure that my question hasn’t already been asked. Except for this time. Apologies to the long-suffering world for making it put up with me.
He is not gelded - the trainer has said they will try to save him for stud. From what I understand the leg broke in two places, and unfortunately they may not be able to save him. What a shame.
In addition to what Shagnasty said, thoroughbreds have been bred in a way that makes them very delicate and prone to injury. Horses sleep on their feet, so there is no real way to relieve the pressure on the leg - certainly not long enough for it to heal.
If you don’t believe me, I can show you my vet bills.
Solution: Send the horses into orbit in a special horse rehab center with special variable-speed revolving part that can simulate different gravity strengths for gradual physical therapy.
Right now that’s preposterous. In 500 years? Maybe not.
It is possible, however, to collect semen prior to euthanasia. Years ago a boxer (dog) died of some form of cancer. A quick thinking veterinarian surgically harvested a teste while the dog was in the process of death. Insemination was done, and a single puppy was the final result. I could probably dig up a cite.
At the University of Pennsylvania’s large animal facility at New Bolton Center, horses recover from anesthesia in a huge swimming pool, suspended in a raft. The raft is raised/lowered via a winch. Very cool.
Even if they could harvest a teste, it’s doubtful any offspring from that would be able to race. At present, the Jockey Club still requires live cover in order to register a TB racehorse.
The swimming pool recovery is very cool. New Bolton is a great vet center.
In addition to everything else, the thoroughbred is a very competititive animal and will often break any cast or anything that keeps the leg immobile. I’m hearing that they do use swimming pools to help the horse stay “on its feet” (horses have to remain so something like 20 hours a day or circulation problems occur) and reducing pressure, but a lot depends on the horse. The horse can’t understand that you’re doing this to help him, and will actively try to break any cast (this is what happened to Ruffian).
Certain injuries are still impossible to save – the cannon bone (equivalent to a human shin) can become shattered when broken under racing conditions, so the only thing to do is put the poor animal. There are few things more heatbreaking than seeing a horse who has broken the cannon bone try to hobble around the track.
Is there any way to to put the horse in a sort of, oh, I don’t know, some form of restraints so he can’t move? Or would the horse then panic and possible injure himself further?
As mentioned, the New Bolton center (where Barbaro is) has a giant swimming pool they use when they bring horses out of the anesthesia. It helps keeps them from thrashing about and reinjuring themselves as they struggle to get back to their feet.
There are slings you can put a horse in to keep weight off their legs, but my understanding is the slings are a last resort. Many horses don’t like being effectively immobilized and won’t tolerate a sling. They’re prey animals who really get stressed or depressed when they can’t move about on their own. That stress or depression can lead to colic (unfortunately, about the only thing more fragile than a horse’s legs is his digestive system), especially if they go off their feed or water.
ESPN just had a news clip from New Bolton. The reporter mentioned that horses can’t really survive on three legs. Their feet are tiny and they have very few muscles in the lower legs. So a 1000 lbs animal like a horse can’t be supported on only three legs. The remaining legs just break down under the stress.
It’s not a question about what can be made for horses, or even what can be healed on horses. It’s a question of what horses will put up with during the healing process. Sadly, given horse psychology, the answer is “not much”, entailing that serious injuries like broken legs lead to euthanasia not because the injuries aren’t healable given our vetrinary technology, but because the horse will actively interfere with the treatment required.
This is a description of the postoperative process from the New York Times story.
Despite all this, the veterinary surgeons still say Barbaro may have to be put down. Experts were saying that most horses in Barbaro’s condition are put down on site.
barbaro has a life threating injury, 3 breaks and a dislocate. from all the reports i’ve read there is no cut or hemorage.
poor ruffian. 31 years of vet med has improved chances for horses. ruffian came to laying down in a padded stall. no sling, no pool. even with the team she had with her, it is hard go overcome herbivore instinct. she had a 10% chance, her owner decided to give her that chance. unfortunatly it didn’t work out for her.
barbaro has 31 years of med. improvement, a state of the art facility, and a temperment that will help him deal with being inactive. i’m keeping hooves crossed for his chances.
