Successful conservative treatment of carpal subluxation in a neonatal foal with a sleeve‐cast and human orthopaedic knee brace

Abstract A 10‐hour‐old filly presented with an extreme carpal valgus of the left front after trauma at birth. Radiographic examination revealed a subluxation of the carpometacarpal joint with severe widening of the interosseous space between the second and third metacarpal bone. Partial medial collateral ligament avulsion from the third metacarpal bone and rupture of the interosseus ligament between the second and third metacarpal bone were identified with ultrasound. Conservative management with sleeve‐cast coaptation was opted. The sleeve‐cast was replaced by a human orthopaedic Range Of Motion knee brace after 5 weeks. This brace prevented valgus angulation while allowing flexion and extension of the carpal joint and thus facilitated early initiation of physiotherapy and handwalking. After 2 weeks, the foal was further rehabilitated without any coaptation. At 3.5‐month follow‐up and as a yearling, the foal obtained full range of motion, and no lameness was observed.