According to Dr. Paul M. Nolan, DVM, of Equine Sports Medicine Associates, of Boynton Beach, Florida, the symptoms associated with harness horses are both wide and varied.
"These symptoms can include a distinct change in temperament, a minor alteration in performance, or a noted change in gait when training and racing," Nolan explained. "Sometimes the only symptom you might have is when a groom notices a change when brushing the individual. A trainer might notice a stiffness in a horse's gait when the individual walks out of the stall or when he first hits the race track."
In order to diagnose a specific back problem, Dr. Nolan stresses that a "good, meaningful physical exam is paramount to proper diagnosis and treatment." Details such as this include going back to when the horse was first acquired, and the history of the horse's temperament.
According to a seminar given by Dr. Leo B. Jeffcott at hte 31st American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, there does "seem to be a coorelation between nervous or temperamental animals and the incident of back trouble."
According to Dr. Nolan, diagnosis can be very easy in a docile equine or extremely difficult with a fractious individual. Again, he stresses that history of the horse is vital in order to assess if the problem is an injury or physiological problem, as expressed when a horse "ties-up."
"Of course in a case of a horse who we suspect has troubles of a physiological nature, the diagnosis can be as simple as taking a blood test," Nolan said. "We'll take a blood sample to see if there is any elevation in the muscle enzymes, the SGOT and CPK, because if there is significant elevation in both of these elements combined, the diagnosis is, indeed, very simple."
However, Dr. Nolan says, if there is no alteration in muscle enzymes, there is a slight chance the problem could be of a non-physiological muscular-skelatal nature, and this is where history of the individual becomes extremely important.
"I cannot stress enough the importance of a sound physical exam," Dr. Nolan added. "If the horse shows no history of tying-up, it is important to then examine the individual."
