Clinical history “Bullet” was a mature donkey living on one of the Caribbean islands - he had been used regularly to haul loads of grass from high on the island to lower regions where cattle were fed - he had appeared normal to his handlers (relative young boys without any training in animal care) - he was "selected" to be moved by boat to nearby island. Upon recovery from the sedation, "Bullet" was depressed and showed abdominal pain as evidenced by his "guarding of the abdomen" – in addition, the right knee was noted to be swollen and very firm on palpation with limited joint motion on flexion – the knee was radiographed using a small portable unit – (a dorsolateralpalmaromedial view of the normal equine knee is included for comparison) Radiographic studiesRadiographic studies include a second view Radiographic findings Radiographs show a typical pattern of posttraumatic arthrosis following a gunshot wound that caused multiple fractures that centered on the radial and third carpal bones with destruction of the radiocarpal and intercarpal joints medially – the failure to clearly identify fracture fragments and the presence of mature reactive bone (callus) shows the injury to be chronic (also indicated by an absence of any skin lesions, the presence of firm swelling, and the absence of acute pain) – the presence of infection is not completely ruled out on the radiograph. Comments The donkey died the next day and at necropsy, a dart was identified within the peritoneal cavity in the flank region where it caused a rupture of the urinary bladder and a uroperitoneum – the knee was explored and the post-traumatic arthrosis was demonstrated along with the retained metallic fragments from the bullet - no pattern was noted of bone or cartilage destruction caused by osteomyelitis. The case is interesting in that “Bullet” had been gainfully employed for some months (years?) with the severe injury to the knee. It also demonstrates a failure to correctly “dart” the animal resulting in his death.
