Alfs orthopaedic assessment

Auslander

Auslander

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I've just got back from a very long day over at Herriard Park having Alf thoroughly gone over to identify the cause of his hindleg stiffness, and to put together a plan of action.

So - he had flexion tests on both hind legs, after which he trotted up far lamer on the passenger side. I then lunged him on both reins, and he wasn't happy at all on the left rein. I rode him, and he felt horrible behind (all those flexion tests!). She nerve blocked his left hock, and we then stuck him on the lunge. He was a different horse - I saw him using his hocks properly for the first time!!

She then xrayed and scanned both stifles and hocks - the left stifle (the one that has been blamed all along) is not too bad. It's not perfect, but nothing like as bad as we expected. The right stifle is pretty crap - bone spurs and loose bits of calcification floating around - but somehow, he's sound on it!! Left hock seems to be the main culprit (although vet did say that the stifles may cause problems once his hocks have been treated and he is using himself more behind)

It also looks like there's a bit of suspensory desmitis going on, so next step is to block them and see if it makes a difference - or whether its the hock joints themselves causing the problem. Couldn't block suspensories today as he had already had the hock block, so he will be going back as soon as I can arrange transport, and will have a Tildren drip and his hocks medicated while he's there.

Reading it back, it sounds like he's a complete crock, but the vet said several times that most of it is wear and tear commensurate with his age/high mileage, and that there is no reason why, with some appropriate treatment, he shouldn't have a few good years of pootling around left in him - which is exactly what I wanted to hear.

He's very tired, bless him - dozed all the way home in the lorry, and didn't make a fuss at all about staying in tonight!
 
I hope he knows what a lucky pony he is - not many people would be willing to take on an oldie with existing problems and bother to have such extensive diagnostics done, rather than accepting he is just a bit 'old' and 'stiff'.

Fingers crossed that you get all the answers when you take him back, and that he responds well to the treatment. He comes across on here as a horse who enjoys work (or at least being the centre of attention) :)
 
rhino said:
I hope he knows what a lucky pony he is - not many people would be willing to take on an oldie with existing problems and bother to have such extensive diagnostics done, rather than accepting he is just a bit 'old' and 'stiff'.

Fingers crossed that you get all the answers when you take him back, and that he responds well to the treatment. He comes across on here as a horse who enjoys work (or at least being the centre of attention) :)
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Thats the thing - he absolutely loves work, and although I wouldn't mind if he was only sound enough to be a field ornament/happy hacker - he loves dressaging, so it would be nice if we could do a bit! Even though he was sore after the flexion tests, he went into the school with his ears forward, and came out with a smile on his face. He's such a love!!
 
Damn! And also naviclar in both front feet. He had 2 tildren infusions which didn't seem to make any improvement but on his last X-rays showed them to be the same. Hope it works for your boy!
 
elliebate said:
Damn! And also naviclar in both front feet. He had 2 tildren infusions which didn't seem to make any improvement but on his last X-rays showed them to be the same. Hope it works for your boy!
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Thats bad luck! Your poor lad. I'm going ahead with the Tildren and HA injections in his hocks, and he'll also have shockwave on his suspensories if blocking them out reveals that they are a bit dodgy. I'm interested to see how he responds - he does enjoy working, despite his stiffness, so it would be nice if the treatment helps to free him up a bit. If it doesn't work, he can just be a moocher! We have loads of fields to ride in, and a river to splash about in - so there's plenty for him to do.
 
Interestingly, my boy who is the exact same breeding as yours', has had some problems in the last year with his hocks. He has had both treated, starting with Cartophen, then IRAP and finally Tildren. He is a different horse now, really bouncy and springy.

I think their extra size puts more pressure on the joints and it is fairly common in the draft crosses.

Fingers crossed that the treatment works as well as it has for Sidney :) We think he had been grumbling along for a while, but he's so damn stoic he doesn't say anything until he's really hurting!

Isabelle
 
IsabelleJ said:
Interestingly, my boy who is the exact same breeding as yours', has had some problems in the last year with his hocks. He has had both treated, starting with Cartophen, then IRAP and finally Tildren. He is a different horse now, really bouncy and springy.

I think their extra size puts more pressure on the joints and it is fairly common in the draft crosses.

Fingers crossed that the treatment works as well as it has for Sidney :) We think he had been grumbling along for a while, but he's so damn stoic he doesn't say anything until he's really hurting!

Isabelle
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That's great to hear! I know what you mean about the stoic-ness. Alf was so good yesterday, even when I got on him when he was sore after flexion, he still willingly did everything I asked. The thing that really got me was when she listened to his heart, and said that although he seemed calm, his heart rate indicated that he was quite worried. He was being very brave - bless him!
 
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