Advice on possible OCD or Arthritis in Stifles

[VScall]

My horse is 5 and currently having investigations due to lameness. Pinpointed to both his stifles by scan, there is swelling in both.
I'm gathering information on each possible outcome and what the vet has said 'MAY' be the problem. Xrays are being done immanently.

Who has had a horse diagnosed with OCD or Arthritis in stifles when young?
How did your horse present, were they lame, in work etc?
How did you treat and how effective/long lasting was it?

Any more information greatly appreciated.

 

[J1993]

Do you mind me asking what the symptoms where ? My physio has picked up that my 5 year old seems sore in her stifles and thinks its related to growing. I'm unsure personally as its not something I'd heard of before! Mine is just having a holiday for now and will reassess in a few months but preparing for it needing more investigation!

 

[VScall]

Do you mind me asking what the symptoms where ? My physio has picked up that my 5 year old seems sore in her stifles and thinks its related to growing. I'm unsure personally as its not something I'd heard of before! Mine is just having a holiday for now and will reassess in a few months but preparing for it needing more investigation!

So he has had some weakness in his hind in the past (aprox a year ago) so I've taken things (and still have been) really slowly to strengthen him up. He's had a little soreness in his right lumbar region but physio and vets said not to worry and keep an eye.
He's recently been randomly lame in a foreleg, hes not been in work for about 3 months so I assumed it was just something he'd done in the field and left him be as he was still perfectly happy. Then the lameness came back again when I was going to start getting him fit so I decided to get him checked by the vet again.
Vet did a full lameness workup and said he had a feeling it was both stifles that were sore after flexion tests. I asked for scans there and then.
Thinking back he's occasionally when ridden, dropped his right hind. I'd told physio and vets in the past but nobody has been worried till now and I've never had him in enough work to see wether it was just a simple baby weakness or an 'issue'.
We have xrays due tomorrow.

 

[Hanno Verian]

I had a young KPWN x TB approximately ten years ago, he was backed and did some low level eventing as I think a six year old, he wasn't right and didnt enjoy it, there was just something not right about him, he had previously had a really trainable attitude. He was diagnosed with OCD in his Stifle and was operated on in about 2011/12 to remove the malformed articular cartilage, he was off work for a year unfortunately there was no significant improvement. He could have been a field ornament for the rest of his life but would have been in pain if he was pratting around in the field, I made the decision to PTS.

I hope that you have a better outcome than I did, I'm sorry I cant give you specifics I was out of the country most of the time this was happening and didnt see him very much during the diagnosis and treatment phase.

 

[AMR]

I have just had the X-rays back from 22nd June for my 12yr Connie. He has been diagnosed with OCD of the lateral trochlear ridge. He was dropping his left hind and has a shortened stride. We bought him a couple of months ago knowing something wasn't perfect so hoping we can get him comfortable and back to being ridden. He is of for an ultrasound Wednesday and ultimately surgery on Thursday as long as the prognosis is good!