Abnormal point of hip ( tubera coxae)

[Lisaft]

Hi

Does anyone have a similar issue. I own a 16hh 12 year old gelding who has recently gone lame again. This time the issue seems to be in the hind. I had the chiropractor out last week and she believes that there may be some osteoarthritis in the pelvis/stifle area. He is really stiff in the OS stifle and it is obviously sore. A few days later I noticed that his tubera coxae (point of the hip) on his OS is quite a strange shape. The near side tuber coxae feels normal I.e rounded - just normal whereas the off side tubera coxae feels as though there are two smaller rounds. There is an obvious difference but the pelvis is level and there is no muscle atrophy . I asked the chiropractor to come back out just to check it. She said it was just bony growth possibly from an old injury and it was not the cause of the lameness, but I do not recall noticing this issue before? I am not saying it is as a result of the chiropractor because he was lame before she came. I had the vet out (before I noticed the tubera coxae and after the chiropractor) for his annual vaccinations and he did not notice anything at the time. Obviously he was not looking for anything but I have considered things such as disocation of the hip and knock down hip which I would have possibly expected the vet to notice as he looked him over. He is not uncomfortable if I press down hard on it and it is defiantly bone.
I think I will end up getting the vet back out but would just like to get some feedback from fellow hoses owners.
Sorry if the post is slightly confusing, please help.

 

[classicalfan]

It's perfectly possible that he has always had this deformity of the tubera coxae - possibly due to an old injury as your chiropractor suggested. The reason that you are noticing it now is, most likely, due to an alteration in the musculature due to his lameness. He may have been using himself differently for some time due to discomfort without you noticing any change. During this time he has lost muscle on the OS as he has been avoiding using it and now that his lameness is more obvious so too is the bony lump.
Hope this helps but surprised your chiro didn't explain it to you.

 

[popstar]

Injuries to the tuber coxae are actually relatively common (smacking their pelvis off the edge of the stable door is a common cause) as are bony asymmetries of the shape of the bony prominence itself. Very few beings - horse, human or otherwise are perfectly symmetrical. The other possibility is uneven muscle pull from the muscles which attach onto the bone, though this would have to be fairly severe and prolonged to cause such calcification and would be more likely to develop as a spur than as a rounded bump.

In your case, if the bone is non tender I wouldn't worry too much. Any of the injuries causing asymmetry would tend to present with localised pain if it was the source of lameness. As classicalfan suggested, it may have always been there and your recent attention to the area has brought it to your notice. Even slight changes in muscle tone can also make bony prominences suddenly seem much more prominent. Certainly if it will put your mind to ease the vet will be able to rule out if there is any pain coming from the area.

 

[Lisaft]

Thanks for your replies it has given me something to think about. There is defiantly an issue there. He has dragged his back toes slighty ever since I have had him and this improves with fitness. I had the vet look at him originally about the toe dragging and after several flextion test etc he could not explain it. He did suggest possible further investigations with nerve blocks. I am not sure if everything is related?