Broken Humerus Bones in Horses

Given the location of the humerus bone, it may seem difficult for a horse to break it. A couple of factors can contribute, however, and the break can have far-reaching ramifications.

  1. Occurrence

    • Research performed by the Atlantic Veterinary College of the University of Prince Edward Island revealed that only 10 of 157 horses studied suffered this type of break.

    Causes

    • A broken humerus is usually the result of a kick from another horse. It might also come about because of a fall.

    Treatment

    • There are surgical options for a broken humerus, but they are usually more successful in young horses. In foals, a plate can be surgically placed across the fracture. Minor chip fractures in older horses sometimes respond to arthroscopic surgery.

    Prognosis

    • The Atlantic Veterinary College indicates that roughly half of those horses afflicted with this type of broken bone must be euthanized.

    Complications

    • Even after surgery, the horse will be lame, favoring its good leg, and this can cause laminitis, or founder, another potentially fatal condition. Laminitis involves separation of the laminae inside the hoof from the hoof wall of the good leg, caused by overuse and overbearing of the horse's weight.