Bone Chip in Fetlock

[sillygillyhorse]

Feeling really down, my lovely young horse has just been diagnosed as having a bone chip in his fetlock which is causing lameness.

My vet wants to consult a surgeon but felt that due to the location of the chip it might be difficult to remove. have to say I am not happy at the though of surgery, yes might remove the chip but what other damage may be caused in doing so?

Vet nerve blocking again next week to make sure it is the chip causing the lameness. Just typical of my luck with horses.

Sorry a very self indulgent post but needed to share as my OH is away on business so no sympathetic ear at home at present.

 

[Weezy]

Oh G that is completely rubbish

Have a huge big hug from me xxx

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Thanks Weezy, you know what it is like sitting on your own, everything seems so much worse. This horse is the sweetest, kindest horse who really tries his heart out, it is always the nice ones that these things seem to happen to.

 

[seabiscuit]

Oh G I am so sorry

what can I say we do have such rotten luck dont we.

all I can say is that I have heard of 2(surprisingly)horses having surgery to remove bone chips in fetlocks- I *think*,(I am not sure so dont take my word for it!)that it is done by keyhole surgery which is a very simple operation -and that the horses returned to full work 3months after not to have any problems again although they had only ever been happy hack horses, but they looked just the same afterwards as before it happened.

I have my fingers crossed that it all works out- and it WILL work out stay positive!

he is young, fit and has a strong positive aura by the sounds of it, so there is a lot going for him in his favour!

 

[icestationzebra]

Agree, it is always the nicest most honest horses that seem to suffer. Camp Dover is not giving up yet though! Stay strong for him

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Is it just us do you think, I must have been really evil in a previous life to warrant all this crap. Was sorry to hear your very sad news, did try to PM but understandably your inbox was full.

Hopefully be in a better position to come to decisions next week after next vet visit.

 

[sport horse]

I would suggest getting a second opinion. My show jumper had just such an injury many years ago and the chip was removed at RVC by keyhole surgery. She won so many classes the next year that I asked the vets if they had put a spring in in place of the chip! She never had any subsequent problems from the fetlock. Good Luck!

 

[BBs]

I dont know what to say, totally gut renching for you

Its always the good ones too.

Im sure what I heard of these types of operations that theyve been sucessful

and horses have returned back to full work.

Please keep us posted on next weeks outcome with the vet

Hugs
Vxx

 

[polaris]

If it is any consolation, 2 horses had this op. on their fetlock. One was ours and had it due to a rather serious fight with another horse in the field and the other due to injury. Both were competition horses and both came completely sound. One had a slight swelling that did not affect work but was cosmetic. She went on to jump 6ft plus.
Chin up all is not lost!
The other was branded loss of use by the owner but went on to compete at an amateur level dressage with a new owner.

 

[samp]

The chip will be done through arthroscopy (key hole). It is a very low risk straight forward op, if your not happy with your vets get referred to a proper vet hospital

 

[sillygillyhorse]

My vets are a proper vet hospital with own operating theatre etc, reason they want to speak to RVC is due to the location of the chip which may mean this is not a straight forward op, that is what concerns me, not the Vets ability.

 

[leskaneen]

Hi,
My welsh D had bone chip & infected joint after argument in field.He was treated at Leahurst & was completely sound again within 6 weeks and has had no problems since-and he s lost none of his huge welshie action! Mind you the "keep him on box rest & walk out in hand" never happened -even 6foot 4 farmer couldn t hold the bugger!!

 

[SillyMare]

Oh no, that is rubbish.

Fingers crossed for him.

 

[blaze]

Hi MrsT,

Is the bone chip as a result of an underlying condition or an actual injury, do you know yet?

My horse had an arthroscopy as a five-year-old to remove one big (and quite a few smaller) bone chips that were floating around in her fetlock - all caused by DJD. I wasn't sure whether to go ahead with the op but my vet basically said to me that it wouldn't improve without the surgery, and I knew I couldn't justify keeping her as she was - the only reason not to do it was my own fear of losing her.

Every case is different, but in my horse's operation, they literally had to try and catch the chips, many of the little ones just popped out on their own and the big one, when they showed it to me, was about an inch-and-a-half by half-an-inch. Big ouch. She also has cartilage damage, so they tidied everything up. She's been sound on that leg for three years now, no further treatment necessary after the recovery period. (Touching lots of wood!) We've had unrelated hindleg problems since then, so we are quite familiar to the vet hospital! :-(

If you do decide to do it, the procedure itself is done through keyhole surgery under GA, and doesn't take too long. My horse had two small wounds where the instruments went in, which had staples in when she came home. (BTW, she looked miserable only the day after the op, as we would - she came home a couple of days after that and literally bounced along and into the trailer). Staples came out a week or so later, then it was a month of total box rest, followed by a month's box rest with walking in-hand (this turned into very restricted turnout as horse wasn't impressed and decided to capriole in-hand instead).

If you want any further info, please do PM me - I remember sitting in the yard sobbing after the x-rays came back, but I've never once regretted her having the op, and she certainly hasn't!

Big hugs
x

 

[sillygillyhorse]

Thanks for that Blaze. No idea how or why the chip is there, no signs of any degenerative changes on the xray or scans. There appears to be only one chip but vet is of the opinion it may be hard to get to, hence the second opinion.

Your horses case sounds very positive, perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel. Have heard of chips settling and not causing further lameness after periods of box rest. Obviously taking this route would possibly only delay surgery and I would have to ask plenty of questions as to whether this procedure needs to be carried out sooner rather than later and weigh up the pros and cons.

 

[nellie33]

sorry to read about your horse. There is a 15yr old on the yard where I keeop my horse who is just coming to the end of his month long box rest after having an operation to remove a 1cm, long chip of bone from his fetlock. He had his removed by keyhole surgey at bristol & his prognosis is very good, so there might be some light at the end of the tunnel for you & your horse

 

[Peanot]

Hi, Mrs T. Just had to write as I have just read this post. I hope that everything is more clear to you now and that you are feeling better. I once had a horse years ago, that had a kick on his front cannon bone and a bit of bone chipped off, but it was stuck in his matted hair around the injury, but he came sound within a couple of days and he went into full normal work. The work that the surgeons do now is amazing, and if it is keyhole surgery, then it will be a lot easier on him and a good prognosis. I wish you and your horse loads of luck with this and please keep us informed.