What is another name for ringbone?

• A. Navicular disease
• B. Canker
• C. Phalangeal exotosis
• D. Osselets

Answer: (C)

Ringbone refers to a bony growth forming along the joints of the pastern, which are the phalanges. That bone growth is literally an exostosis on the phalangeal bones, so the precise name for ringbone is phalangeal exostosis. This distinguishes it from other hoof problems: navicular disease affects the navicular bone and associated tissues; canker is a hoof horn condition; osselets describes bony changes around the fetlock joint, not the pastern joints. So the term that best captures ringbone is phalangeal exostosis.