Cutting Annular ligament - anyone had any experience?

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Vanha12

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Long story short (if I can). We got a slight tear to annular ligament just before first event of the season. Since she was fit and ready ago the vets advised medicating and letting her do the season (after a few weeks walking in hand, then light work) before putting her in for the annular ligament to be cut (it has thickened and is constricting the tendon sheath causing swelling).
She is sound on flexion and going really well but her fetlock is still a little puffy. Vet's advice was that she would tell us when she is ready for op. but as the fetlock is still puffy I am wondering whether to just put her in for it now and forget trying to run her this year - the stress of checking it every five minutes is driving me mad!

Just wondered if anyone else had experienced anything similar and/or if they had gone for the op and what sort of outcome? A friend had a similar situation and her vet suggested that even with the ligament cut her horse would still have a puffy leg?

Hope that all makes sense - any advise would be very welcome,
 
My boy did his annular ligament out hunting at the end of the season. We applied DMSO, he remained turned out, had a few weeks off and hunted again the following season. That was a fair few years ago and he has always been hunting since and always sound.

If kept in work all the time...no problem. But any time off led to tripping, unless ridden almost every day. He is now 20 and although he did a couple of days hunting early on I felt he was unsafe to ride now as when he tripped he was almost coming down. Very sad as so well in himself. His age and size meant having any sort of op was not an option.

Did hind one too but that never seemed to cause a problem. If the swelling does not go down in the early days it probably never will.
 
Thank you for the reply - and sorry to hear about the tripping if he still wants to be out there. My mare is 13 and is happiest competing - she is a miserable witch otherwise so I would hate her to have to stop doing her job. Do people still use DMSO these days? and were you told that he ought to have the ligament cut?
 
I had my mare's cut when she was 19 she is 30 and now and still sound! She recovered really well but never lost her puffy leg but then the other is puffy so at least they match ;)

I personally wouldn't wait until she tells you because by that time she may have done even more damage to her tendons by then! Fortunately mine had only slightly tweaked a tendon with the pressure and that was back to normal by the time she had recovered from the op. She was only out of work all together for 4 weeks and was back competing within 3 months!
 
My boy had his snipped last August. He has been on and off for about 16 months previously due to misdiagnoses. He then had 2 months box rest and then a futher 3 with walking out in hand. He is back undersaddle now, albeit at a walk. I intend to do 12 weeks walking with him and then have him rescanned to see how things are looking.

Hope all goes well for you.
 
My mare had a front leg annular ligament cut and came back into work with no problems. Healed perfectly and absolutely no swelling.

Good luck with your horse, I'm sure the op will be successful and horse back in full work no problem.
 
Hiya,

My boy had both his annular ligaments on his fore legs cut back in november 2011.
Although his tendon sheath looks a little puffy sometimes it is getting less frequent.
He came back into work very willingly and with a spring in his step.
Best of luck for next tuesday :)
 
Our boy went acutely lame with tear in annular ligament; operated on March 2011 and followed vet notes for convalscence to the letter - (you seem to start exercising them v early), also took him swimming, which was fantastic - don't think he enjoyed it that much towards end tho' and he did first comp (BD Novice) Oct 2011 and won. Good luck and PM me if you want any more in detail on convalscence etc.
 
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