Patellar Ligament Injuries in Horses

Equine patellar ligament injuries are rare but can occur in jumping horses. The middle patellar ligament is the most commonly affected. Lameness is variable but can be severe in acute cases.

Clinical signs of patellar ligament injuries in horses are often subtle; femoropatellar joint effusion, periligamentous thickening, and edema are inconsistent findings.

In many horses, lameness due to patellar ligament injury is unchanged by intra-articular anesthesia of the femoropatellar joint; therefore, diagnosis is confirmed by ultrasonography. Treatment is prolonged rest (up to 6 months).

Lameness is often slow to resolve and can recur.