CONTRIBUTION ON GONITIS IN OLDER FOALS

The present study represented 25 older foals suffered from different degrees of lameness with excessive synovial fluid distension of the femo ro-patellar joint. The clinical signs, synovial fluid analysis and radiogra phical examination revealed the picture of chronic inflammation of the femoro-patellar joint "Gonitis or Gonotrochlose". The pathomorpholo gical changes were described.
Treatment was attempted by aspiration of the synovial fluid under complete aseptic precautions and at the same time with intrarticular injection of Arteparon, a mucopolysaccharide polysulphate substance. Tomanol was also systematically injected as analgesic, antiphlogistic and antirheumatic with complete rest for the animals for 4-6 weeks. Good results were only obtained in recent cases in which the joint cartilage was not extensively damaged as it is an irreversable condition.
The cause of the condition is attributed to a previous infection in the prenatal period or just after parturition and not due to trauma as most of cases were bilaterally affected.