Advice Pls - Deep Digital Flexor Tendon

[Llwyncwn]

Cassy has been off work now for 3 weeks after doing some lateral schooling and became unlevel. Thought it was her windgalls swelling more than usual.

A vet was on the yard yesterday who said that there was inflamation at the base of the DDFT and only a scan would show what was going on in there. She advised in the meantime to start working her quietly on the roads for 7/10 days and if it didnt go down, get her scanned.

Phoned my own vets today who are coming next week to scan and said NOT to work her at all.

The lumpy windgall has now turned into a swelling which has gone hard on the DDFT.

Any experiences you have I would be pleased to hear. Do I write her off as a future dressage diva?

 

[lucemoose]

Myself and Simariliion (sp?) have both got horses off at the mo with DDFT issues, however ours are both tears deeper in the hoof. Perhaps our older posts would be interesting to read or enlightening?
Would do as your own vet says, keep her quiet until the scan too. Best to be safe rather than sorry.

 

[RachelB]

Don't write her off until you're certain, but if it is tendon damage then the advice is to NOT work your horse, instead put her on box rest with NO unrestricted turnout/ movement. The "base" of the DDFT (bottom end nearest the ground) is right inside the hoof capsule and there's no way you'd get an ultrasound scan of that area (trust me, mine had MRI at just over £1000 to diagnose a tear of the DDFT right down by the navicular bone). However it sounds to me like the vet reckons it is at the fetlock joint which is a much easier area (to diagnose and to treat).
Don't panic until your vet has been.
If I were you I'd have the horse on box rest, bandaged, I'd be using cold therapy and anything else I could get (magnetics, anything!) as that was exactly what I didn't do (I carried on riding on vet's advice, to make her more lame so the nerve blocks would be eaiser to do) and I regret it so much now as I'm sure it made things worse.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Thank you both so much. I have just read your posts a little further down the column! I have been using Arnica cream and tablets, cold hosing, Greens Cooling Gel and Bio-Flow magnetic boots. First vet said she would be fine turned out after examining her briefly (freebie), but after your experience I think you are right in saying to keep her in.

We had just introduced canter half pass into her schooling and I know she has a weak hind (takes a while for her to really start bringing that hind underneath her), and wondering perhaps if it was the lateral work 'wot did it'.

Thanks both for your help x

 

[catherine22]

i've noticed for the last few days that my horse's windgalls r more swollen than usual and they were even up a bit when i got him in from the field which they arent usually. he has had the last few days off but should i be worried/get vet now?
Hes sound btw