Arthroscopy recovery?

algeredge

algeredge

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 February 2009
Messages
355
Location
Staffordshire
Visit site
My boy has got to go in for an arthroscopy on his knee on thursday because of a small spur of arthritis which we think is the cause of some swelling on the front of his knee (and lameness for the last 10 days!) Vet says he'll need to be in livery there for a week (think they may be taking the michael with me there as I've read that they can come home after a couple of days??) and then box rest for 2 - 4 weeks before walking in hand (if the op goes OK and no complications)
Just wondering what your experiences have been and how long it might be til I can ride again (fingers crossed and double crossed)
Is a week at the vets a bit much? (I always have to wonder when the first question they ask is - Is he insured?)
thanks
 
As a 6 year old, one of our horses had a spavin which required arthroscopy. £5,000 and six years later, he is completely sound. Took almost a year for him to become sound; we were told to ride him on bute for a while, which we did, then I ran out of the stuff and realised that he was still sound without medication! He's a treasure and have never regretted going for this line of treatment.
 
My mare had a bone chip removed from her fetlock by this method. Shed had the op on a thursday and came home on the following monday. Its the recovery time from the anaesthetic that take a bit of time and also to make sure that theres no infection. Its a relatively simple procedure, she had 2 stitches - 1 at each entry/exit. Think it was 2 wks box rest and 4 field rest then gently back to ridden work.

I would say therefore that a week is a reasonable estimate of the time at Horsepital and at least you will know that your horse is in a clean and restful place until he/she is feeling ok again. Theres also the travelling to consider, you want your horse to be able to cope with that comfortably.

Hope that helps - I cant see now where she had the incisions!
 
Thanks for your replies. Hope mine doesnt take 6 years to get sound again, he's already 9yrs old! From what I have heard its a pretty routine op, I'm just worried about what they'll find inside his knee. He had a swelling on his knee, xrayed and found a small spur of arthritis from an old trauma/kick/knock or something that probably happened before we had him. He had a steroid injection in the joint and it went down almost over night, but 3 weeks later it came up again out of nowhere :( The vet didnt want to operate as he was sound, and thought about Irap, however the swelling on the front of the knee got harder and now he has been lame for the last 10 days so he says that the op is the best option.
Its the waiting and not knowing thats the worst part.........
 
mine had arthroscopy on both stifles last tue morning and i picked him up wed afternoon. i am a vet so they were happier for him to go home a little bit earlier than usual, but normally they only keep them 48hrs post-op. i couldnt afford a week there post-op. he was there nearly a week pre-op for his bone scan etc.
 
Mine had his hock done, I took him home two days after surgery. He had to have the dressing changed every second day for two weeks while on box rest (vet did this for me because of the worry about injection in the joint). Tiny, tiny incisions, no scarring at all. Started hand walking after two weeks, and was out in a small paddock a week after that. I think I was back on him around two months later (carefully!!!). Good luck. :D

Ps. I had IRAP done too, around six months after the op, and swear by it.
 
Halfstep said:
Ps. I had IRAP done too, around six months after the op, and swear by it.
Click to expand...


Us too!! Ludo had an arthoscopy to his coffin joint/collatoral ligament in 2006. 3 weeks in a knee high cast, 3 weeks in a fetlock high cast and 3 months box rest in total. He had IRAP at about 6 months (4 sessions) and has been completely sound on that leg (can't say the same about the others:rolleyes:) ever since. He had the op in the June, was ridden and brought back into work from the October and was fully signed off the following September
 
Mine had key hole on one stifle. She was in for one week for recovery. She was box rested for eight weeks, handwalking after the first four. She's back to work after 4 months and lookin really sound.
 
Ludi-doodi said:
Us too!! Ludo had an arthoscopy to his coffin joint/collatoral ligament in 2006. 3 weeks in a knee high cast, 3 weeks in a fetlock high cast and 3 months box rest in total. He had IRAP at about 6 months (4 sessions) and has been completely sound on that leg (can't say the same about the others:rolleyes:) ever since. He had the op in the June, was ridden and brought back into work from the October and was fully signed off the following September
Click to expand...

Jacob had the same last April but has not been sound since :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top