08/08/2026
Is this a defect in the joint cartilage in a 10 month old c**t.
This was found during a whole horse dissection completed by Lindsey Field and Dr. Ivana Ruddock- Lange last week.
This is the articular surface of the humerus at the elbow (humeroradioulnar joint) from a 10-month-old c**t vet diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) on X-ray.
The circled area shows a distinct, deep area in the articular cartilage.
Dr. Sharon May-Davis has reported that this type of lesion is not seen in unridden, undriven horses, making it a particularly interesting finding in such a young c**t.
Could this” lesion” be related to the OCD?
OCD is a developmental orthopaedic disease in which cartilage fails to develop and mature normally into bone through the normal process of endochondral ossification. The exact cause remains unknown, although genetics, nutrition, growth rate, biomechanics and trauma have all been proposed as contributing factors.
At this stage, I don’t know whether this cartilage defect is part of the OCD process or an unrelated finding—but it certainly raises interesting questions.
I’d be very interested to hear from veterinary surgeons, pathologists and researchers who have seen similar lesions
