Bone chips in horses? Also in Vet

[Cliqmo]

Had the farrier today as my boy has been intermittently lame for a few weeks now (no rhyme or reason to the spectrum of soundness from totally sound to crippled) but he has confirmed no abcess in the foot. He was very thorough and got me to walk, trot and turn him. He also had a good look in his foot and checked his digital pulse etc.

The farrier seemed to think it might be in his knee as there is a weensy bit of fluid on the front of the knee on his near fore (the lame leg) Although there is no heat and no visible swelling or injury. He also mentioned something about the possibility of a bone chip to the knee? Bentley is backed but unbroken and hasn't done any work, although he does hoon around in the field so *may* have injured it out there.

I am trying to get hold of the vets to arrange nerve blocks and x rays but I just wanted to know if anyone had any experience either (A) of similar symptoms or (B) of bone chips/knee injuries?

I have had a look online and realise this bone chips are a relatively common condition (expecially in racehorses) but that it can sometimes be hopelessly complex and ultimately fatal

Thanks for your help.

 

[welshied]

We had a horse with similar condition and the vet thought it was a fractured bone but after x-rays turned out it was arthritis and he was only just 8 years old, but yours is proberbly too young for that anyway. The vet said if it was a fracture it would just be 6 months off work.

 

[Cliqmo]

He hasn't yet started any work as he has been too poor

Thanks for the info, are you treating your horses arthritis? If so what with?

 

[welshied]

He is 13 now and he has just been put on bute full time before that we had him on equi-flex and cider vinegar. The cider vinegar seems to work well, my over horse had a problem with his knee and went lame after riding him and he spun round and twisted his knee weirdly and he went lame with this and it swelled slightly so hopefully your will just have done something like this rather than bone chip

 

[bellaboo]

My mare had a bone chip in her stifle area and she was extremely lame, she had 12 weeks on box rest then we had to start building her up again. I would say if it was a bone chip he would be quite lame all the time, hopefully it's just a sprain/twist and rest will sort him out.

Is he the grey in your sig? If so he's rather yummy

 

[JanetGeorge]

[ QUOTE ]
My mare had a bone chip in her stifle area and she was extremely lame, she had 12 weeks on box rest then we had to start building her up again. I would say if it was a bone chip he would be quite lame all the time, hopefully it's just a sprain/twist and rest will sort him out.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are bone chips - and then there are bone chips!

Lameness may be there - or not.
Swelling is usually there - not always.
Not all swellings around joints are bone chips - but they may be.

Chips CAN be caused by injury (a kick, for example) but the are usually the result of OCD (osteochondrosis). No one knows for sure exactly what causes it - and it is likely there are several factors. It may be a result of some deficiencies in the dam's diet (before foal is born). Excessive/fast growth is the first 2 years of life is DEFINITELY a causative factor. There may be a genetic element - either for the fast growth rates that predispose to OCD - or OCD itself!

If a chip is NOT removed, it will almost always cause early arthritis and lameness.

It is often not picked up until a horse starts work - at backing or later - although your insurers will be absolutely SURE it was a pre-existing condition (and it probably was!)

It is most common in TBs and larger horses - Warmbloods, Draughts etc.

It's a PITA!!

Chips are usually removed as a 'keyhole' procedure (arthroscopy) and this gives a much better result - both cosmetically and long-term soundness - than arthrotomy.

You're looking at close enough to £2,000 for one joint!

 

[Cliqmo]

Thank you for the info JanetGeroge. Do you have personal experience? What was the end result?

 

[JanetGeorge]

[ QUOTE ]
Thank you for the info JanetGeroge. Do you have personal experience? What was the end result?

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately I do. Had a filly whose Mum lost a lot of weight in lactation and I boosted her concentrates - she let foal steal them! She got a chip in a stifle. Had box rest for some time - until old enough for surgery. She made an excellent recovery, passed a full vetting for grading (as Registered Irish Draught) and became a Mum for the first time two weeks ago. This is her:

Then had a colt - running with another - who was losing weight due to excessive play! Upped his feed a little, within 3 weeks he was lame with a hot, swollen hock. At first we thought it was an injury, box rested/bute etc but although the heat and lameness went quickly, the swelling remained. He was x-rayed and a chip found. It was removed and he's now completely sound and being backed. Both youngsters' mothers are completely sound and none of their siblings have problems so I am convinced the problem was caused by too much feed - an expensive lesson to learn!!!!

 

[Cliqmo]

Thanks for the info and great(!) to read that successful outcomes are possible

Your mare is really pretty btw!!

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

My OH's horse had a bone chip removed from his foot by an arthroscopy under GA three weeks ago. He is also on a high glucosamine supplement and four weeks box rest. He is still lame in the stable but vet seems to think its ok. Time will tell. The operation was investigative as his xrays (both my vet and hospital) were clear, they went in and found the chip! He also has damaged cartilage on the coffin joint but all tendons and ligaments looked ok.

 

[Cliqmo]

Fingers crossed for you that he comes good D_D_D!