lucy2
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 16, 2010 23:47:14 GMT 1
I collected my neddie back from hospital today. Having just been diagnosed with the above. He is nearly 8 years old. I have owned him for 3 years. I'm gutted. I just seem to be having a continual run of extremely bad luck with regards to my/our horses. My husband is horsey too and we have a horse each and one for company. Firstly my husband lost his faithfull ISH in Dec 2005 after a 17 year partnership. He died of old age. He was 30. In Oct 2007 my husband lost his new horse to advanced OA in fetlocks. He was just 14 yrs. I lost my 27yr old TB who been with my for 15 years, with a severe deep flexor tendon injury sustained in the field. In Sept 09 I lost my new horse to a severe inoperable kissing spine - even though she passed a rigorous vetting 18 months earlier. It probably won't come as a surprise that my husbands new equine companion was subsequently diagnosed with OA in both hocks. I cannot believe this run of luck. I think i'll just give up now. Has anyone else had similar experiences. Or is just me.
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Post by arabmania on Feb 16, 2010 23:54:38 GMT 1
I dont quite get the diagnosis but it sounds like it is to do with one leg? my question would be how, why and where to make this injury better.
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lucy2
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 17, 2010 0:04:00 GMT 1
The suspensory ligaments in both hinds legs have developed abnormalities at the top end (ie nearer the hock than the fetlock Joint) The inflamed tendons then rub on the splint and cannon bones causing more discomfort - as I understand it. Treatment, Conservative management ie. box rest has around 15 - 20 % succes rate. Or have neurectomy. Which cuts nerve supply and sensation to the area - so makes horse sound (hopefully - no gurantees) but does not cure condition of reduce inflammtion and swelling. Think that's right. But please feel free to correct me anyone. Why/how has he got. Vet couldn't shed any light on that. He is not yet 8 yrs (will by July 2010) and has only worked lightly and does not have straight hock conformation - sometimes a factor in cause.
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Post by anastasia55555 on Feb 17, 2010 1:49:03 GMT 1
cant give you any info, but so sorry you have had such a stinky run of bad luck :-( poor neds, and poor you! x
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Post by nich on Feb 17, 2010 8:38:51 GMT 1
thats a terrible sequence of events, poor you. I know nothing about the condition btw. where do you buy/find your horses?
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Post by jennyb on Feb 17, 2010 8:49:39 GMT 1
Sorry to hear your news. I believe the neurectomy has a good success rate.
My horse had PSD in his near fore after an accident in the field last July. He is fine now and just coming back into work. The neurectomy isn't an option on forelimbs due to the different conformation, so he had a steroid injection, shockwave therapy, hydrotherapy and rest. I also gave him some homeopathic tablets towards the end of his rest period. Hand on heart, I think the hydrotherapy and the homeopathy made the biggest difference.
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Post by Dragonmaster on Feb 17, 2010 10:02:02 GMT 1
I don't know anything about the condition but when conventional medicine is unable to help then it's time to look at the unconventional - after all, what have you got to loose? As this seems to be a motor and movement problem I'd suggest therapies that help the body's own healing systems to work better, such as Reiki, magnet therapy, light or colour therapy (I don't know much about this but it involves shining coloured lights on the affected part and the light waves do something), Equine Touch, and as Jenny says, hydrotherapy and homeopathy. Time for some research. All the best.
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lucy2
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Posts: 167
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 17, 2010 10:45:37 GMT 1
To answer nich. My husband bought his ISH from a livery client at the yard he used to ride at. I bought TB from an accquaintance I met at a horsey evening class. OA in fetlocks come from a local riding school that was closing. The kissing spines through a friend of a friend who knew I was looking. She passed 5* vetting. (Spine only showed inn X-Rays and scintography). My horse I picked up yesterday, I bought him from his breeder, after much research, as a just backed, very very green 4 and half year old. He was also vetted.
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lucy2
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Posts: 167
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 17, 2010 10:51:08 GMT 1
Missed out other halfs OA in hocks case. Again, horse that has been in our yard for around 18 months. Never sick sorry or lame. A real gent. We would look after him in his owners absence. A real sweetie. Our fault we didin't get him vetted. We bought him when owners circumstances changed and she wanted to sell him.
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alia
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Post by alia on Feb 17, 2010 11:27:47 GMT 1
Sorry to hear about all your bad luck. Unfortunately I dont think it is all that uncommon, it is the nature of horses. I work in the equine department of a vets practice and the vets have commented recently on the increased incidence of high suspensory desmitis. They wonder whether it has anything to do with the increased use of schools with deep sufaces. Nowadays people generally do less road work and whilst concussive injuries are reduced the horses legs are not being "hardened up " the way they used to be. If the horse was mine I would try box rest then turn away for at least 6 months and give nature a chance before considering de-nerving. By all means try complimentary therapies as well. I hope your luck changes and he gets better.
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lucy2
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Posts: 167
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 17, 2010 11:41:37 GMT 1
WHen I told the vets I wanted to go the rest route first she said ok and wrote out aftercare for me which was 1 weeks complete box rest then walking out in hand twice a day for 10 mins for a week, them 15 min twice a day week 3, then 20mins x 2 week 4, 25 mins x 2 week 5, and finally 30min x 2 weeks 6. Riding week 7. I didn't actually think this was much rest. I was thinking more months than weeks?
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annie
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Post by annie on Feb 17, 2010 12:11:56 GMT 1
Sorry to hear about your horse.
When my first horse was diagnosed with Wobbler's Syndrome several years ago we were advised to put him to sleep. Long story but he had about three month's box rest then almost a year in the field. He's now 17 and back in full ridden work.
Our Irish Draught has had lameness problems from the age of 5. He went to Sue Dyson's last year for full lameness work-up. They admitted they couldn't find what was causing the lameness (on all four legs) so we're back to the drawing board and we'll try alternative therapies but I agree with what you say about a complete rest. He has been rested since last summer and we'll bring him back gradually into work but when I see him galloping about the field he looks much better already.
Hope all goes well.
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Post by kathrynp on Feb 17, 2010 21:36:32 GMT 1
Did the hospital offer you shock wave therapy? A course of this is the standard basis of a conservative treatment program for PSD and the only conservative therapy with research behind it to prove it helps. The usual protocol is 3 sessions each 1 week apart. PSD is a type of compartmental syndrome where a small amount of inflamation causes an excesive amount of pain. The ligament lies in a tight space between the metacarpal bones and flexor tendons so there is no room to expand with the inflammation resulting in incresed preasure on the inflamed area. Steroids can help reduce the inflammation and effect of compartmentalisation but the long term benefits of their use are difficult to assess.
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lucy2
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Posts: 167
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Post by lucy2 on Feb 17, 2010 22:15:40 GMT 1
gosh Kathrynp - you know your stuff.
The vets that did all the lameness investigations I was referred to by my own vet, who I have absolutely every faith in. Once she has a full report and pics from the investigating vets we are going to get together to discuss a plan. My own vet is very open to non conventional treatments. I want to compare the affects of Shock Wave to something called Scenar (see Roger Meacock MRCVS)
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Post by kathrynp on Feb 17, 2010 23:36:03 GMT 1
I just wondered why you hadn't mentioned SW but I understand now - you haven't finalised the plan yet! I ought to know my stuff coz I am a vet! Haven't heard of Scenar so will look it up - sounds like another version of ultrasonic therapy - complete guess but it is a bit of a word play on sconar. Good luck with Neddie.
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