Avulsion fracture in hock

Winters100

Winters100

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Anyone had any experience of this? In particular how the rehabilitation period was post surgery and what was the outcome? It is the result of a paddock injury to a horse that I sold, but as the owner is abroad and unable to come to him, he has asked me to take care of everything. Horrible situation for the poor horse, but he is not old (9) and is very fit, so I am hoping for the best. I am very pleased that the new owner is a good person, and has told me that he will do his best to recover the horse and that he can be a paddock ornament if he cannot be used again, but it is a horrible situation:(
 
Winters100

Winters100

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gunnergundog said:
Expect arthritis at the very least, and sooner rather than later. Which bones are involved within the hock?
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I am not sure yet. The owner just told me the situation and that the horse is in transit to a clinic about 2 hours from my house. Should arrive late tonight so I will go and meet him and I guess speak with them tomorrow. Will let you know when I find out more and thanks for replying.
 
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still standing

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My now retired horse had what I think you've described 3 years ago, also from a paddock injury, and I can say immediately the outcome in his case was OK, although he was 20 years old then. He skidded and fell, sliding into one of the fence posts hitting it with his hock. The vets I used were top class horse vets, experienced in race horse and sports horse treatment and knew their job, explaining this was an unknown outcome as the site was inoperable due to being inaccessible, from the structures of all the tendons etc surrounding the fracture.

The fracture was vertical at the base of the tibia, just where the calcaneus is situated and the tendons had pulled away a slice of bone from the tibia. It was deep inside the hock so box rest was the only chance of recovery. Altogether it was about 10-11 weeks box rest, with the vets visiting and re-Xraying every 4 weeks to see if it was progressing. Plus he was led out for in-hand grazing for 10 minutes twice a day, which stopped him colicking or getting adhesions in the joint. I kept him on Valerian calmer to help him remain settled, though it was a struggle initially, and it worked.

After the initial 10 weeks, the fracture had healed but the vets said it was not 'strong' yet (you could still see a faint line) so he was gradually turned out onto a small paddock for another month and then onto a large field for 6 more months. I was warned that arthritis was a possibility. However, he looked totally sound (dressage horse) by then so I had him X-rayed again, no sign of the fracture at all, no arthritis (tiny particle of fuzz in OTHER hock!) and the vets said to bring him back into work.
I decided not to do that at his age and now just do the occasional trip to the beach (yes, he gallops!), or low level arena stuff.
So I hope this story is of some help and encouragement to you.

Just to add, the horse getting down to rest and getting up again was the most worrying time, for the first week or two as the fracture was unstable. But the strong structures around the hock, all the tendons etc, must also have helped to hold it in place.
 
Winters100

Winters100

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still standing said:
My now retired horse had what I think you've described 3 years ago, also from a paddock injury, and I can say immediately the outcome in his case was OK, although he was 20 years old then. .
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Thank you so much Still Standing. This is indeed encouraging and good to know something about what to expect. He will be at a very good clinic and will stay there for the rehabilitation because it is a 7 hour journey for him back home. I have no idea how they are managing with his transport, but the clinic are collecting him and he should be on his way now, so I suppose they know what they are doing. Thank you very much for taking the time to reply - he is no longer my horse but I am very fond of him so it is good to hear some positive experience.
 
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still standing

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We also transported my horse to the vet hospital at the start, because the vet who visited did not know it was a fracture (just said it did not look good!). But luckily it did not seem to make the injury any worse.
Subsequent X-rays were done on the yard of course, but the next time he was transported, was after the first 4 months when he went to a large field for further recovery.
I know the horse is no longer yours but it sounds like you will be advising his owner, so if all goes well and the horse reaches the turn-out stage, just to say that the reason I decided on a large field (with 2 quiet old companions) was so that if he galloped, there was space to do that. And no sudden corners to slip up. Vets often advise on a small paddock so this may be controversial advice!
 
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My horse had a similar sort of injury in 2017 from a field accident. The fracture was to the cannon bone but as it started under the lower hock joints there was a worry if the piece of bone dislodged it would disrupt the hock above.

We didn’t opt for surgery in the end just regular X-rays to make sure the bone hadn’t moved & was fusing correctly.

Due to the instability of the hock joint Horse wasn’t allowed to move or lay down for 4 months whilst the bone fused & as I couldn’t bare to cross tie him we boxed him into a corner of a stable with pallets! Luckily he is a saint & coped brilliantly.
We then had 2 months of gradually making the box bigger until he had the whole stable, hand grazing & eventually a stable sized paddock.

After 6 months I was given the all clear to bring him back into work but decided to turn him away to enjoy life & just be a horse as the prolonged box rest had taken its toll on him mentally & physically. Incidentally due to other unrelated health issues he has never returned to work & is now just a field ornament, but as he was only 8 years old at the time the prognosis of bringing him back into work would have been very good. I remember being told once the bone has properly fused it’s actually stronger than before.

I was initially warned about hock arthritis & this summer with the heat & hard ground he has started to show signs of discomfort. Although I think if he was in full work it probably would have slowed the onset of arthritis.

I hope the surgery & rehab go well, it’s a hard slog but worth it in the end!
 
Winters100

Winters100

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As an update finally we had to put him to sleep early this morning. The surgery went wrong and the whole joint went into luxation. We pused them to try with plate and screws but in the end he just could not get up, so nothing more could be done for him:( Horrible, he was still young and didn't deserve this.
 
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