The role of bone density in the high incidence of proximal sesamoid bone fracture at the Cypriot race track

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the high frequency of proximal sesamoid bone fracture in the horses at the Cypriot Hippodrome in relation to bone density. Sixty horses were included in the study, divided into three groups of twenty horses. The first subgroup included 20 Cypriot horses that were euthanised due to proximal sesamoid bone fractures. The second subgroup included 20 Cypriot horses that were euthanised or died due to reasons that were not related to fractures or any other bone disease. The third subgroup included 20 horses from the Greek race track that were euthanised or died due to reasons that were not related to fractures or any other bone disease. The bone density of the proximal sesamoid bones was determined with the aid of computed tomography. Statistical analysis of the collected data showed that there is a significant difference in bone density between Cypriot and Greek horses, which could be related to the high frequency of proximal sesamoid fracture.