DDFT 12cm tear - PTS?

[RRM0820]

I’m really struggling to know what to do and looking to see if anyone has had a similar injury.

My 8 year old gelding became suddenly lame and has been diagnosed via MRI with a 12cm tear in his DDFT from pastern through to foot. I’ve been told there is no option of surgery due to location.

The vet has given a 30% chance of return to athletic function with up to 12 months rest and remedial shoeing.

As well as the DDFT the tear during the lameness work up he was also found to be lame on the left fore and the xrays / scans have found bilateral navicular bursitis, bilateral distal joint osteoarthritis and flat footed confirmation.

I bought the horse last year after having to retire my mare at 9 due to Arthritis he was to be my riding horse and I said at the time I would not be able to retire another and would need to be more pragmatic about the situation if it were to arise. That is easier said than done though.

I am currently 9 months pregnant and not sure how I’m going to be able to cope with the box rest over the next 2 months and the stress of the situation. I am also concerned that his chances of recovery are not great and I will
Be setting myself up for further issues down the line ending up with 2 horses that I can only take on the occasional hack and struggling with the financial implication of this. I certainly would never be able to afford another.

I feel heartless considering PTS especially as my vet wasn’t the one to suggest this but I’m just so overwhelmed by the situation and the prospect of becoming a mum for the first time as well as trying to manage the rehab of a horse and the stress that will bring.

Has anyone any experience of a DDFT year this large? Has anyone PTS due to DDFT tear?

 

[OldNag]

No experience of a DDFT tear - but honestly given what you have said, PTS would be a serious consideration for me.
I would be having a frank discussion with the vet, and explaing everything you have said above.
Sorry you are in this situation.

 

[splashgirl45]

i wouldnt expect your vet to suggest PTS if there is a chance he will come right. why dont you talk to him and say you feel PTS may be the best option and ask his opinion. i had a mare who was 35 and retired and i was happy to continue to keep her as a field ornament. before my vet saw her i said i wanted his honest opinion on her quality of life and what would he do.., she had ringbone and sidebone and was on 1 bute a day. it was just before the winter.. once he had seen her trot up he said she is looking good considering , but the ground is perfect at the moment and if she was mine i would PTS now before the winter arrives as i wont be able to give you enough meds to keep her like she is today once the ground gets rutty and freezes or it turns into deep mud...after rather a lot of tears i decided to PTS and it was done that afternoon. the end of that week we had torrential rain and then freezing temps, i am so glad i didnt wait as she would have been struggling so i would have had to do it then...

 

[ycbm]

Depending on how lame the horse is and how you feel about it, I would either PTS or whip off the shoes and turn it away for a year and see what you have at the end of that time.

I would definitely not be doing box rest or remedial shoes.
.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Depending on how lame the horse is and how you feel about it, I would either PTS or whip off the shoes and turn it away for a year and see what you have at the end of that time.

I would definitely not be doing box rest or remedial shoes.
.

This is what I would do and was going to suggest, I had had a mare that had a similar injury but it occurred before I had her so she did come sound after it but it did go again she was 12 when it did and she was retired at 14, but I don't know what happened to her after the injury and I know she had a lot of scar tissue so was not a good candidate for a lot of the procedures that might have helped.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Just wanted to say I am really sorry. I also told myself I would be pragmatic whehn I first bought a horse and I have also discovered that's easier said than done!
IME vet's have rarely suggetsed PTS. So don;t feel like it's not a reasonable option just because they don't raise it. In your situation box rest is just not feasible so I would echo what ycbm said. Turn away for a year and see. Or call it a day now. I am just so sorry you are in this situation which sounds very unfair after all the problems with your first horse. They just break our hearts sometimes.

 

[honetpot]

So sorry to hear you're in this position. I have made this call many times, and sometimes circumstance are the deciding factor. You and your child will need all your attention, and that must be your main consideration, the horse will not know if it goes tomorrow or in a few months when you are tired, and perhaps it's not getting better, and you are struggling.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sorry, it's a hard decision to make when the outcome isn't obvious. Tbh I don't think it's the vet's job to tell you what to do. He has told you that there is only a 30% chance of recovery to a useful level from the DDFT injury and that the horse also has bi-lateral osteoarthritis, which to the best of my knowledge can't be cured. I am sure that my human friend who is wating for a hip replacement would be very interested to hear if a cure for OA has been found.
IMO you need weigh up the pros and cons for you in your particular circumstances of the possible courses of action. I certainly wouldn't put yourself, or the horse, through prolonged box-rest.

 

[Equi]

Poor you, you have a lot going on right now. Esp coming into winter when the ground just won't be optimal for rehabbing. I would seriously consider PTS and if you did you would have nothing to feel guilty about - thats a pretty serious injury and he has two other issues that will in the future cause him a lot of pain if not managed very carefully, coupled with the fact he will be compensating on the navicular leg now possibly making it worse. As others say, a very long box rest is not in the best interests of anyone here.

 

[Orangehorse]

You don't need a vet to PTS, there are plenty of people around who can do it, although it won't be injection obviously..

Like the others, if you have somewhere that you could turn out for 12 months, take shoes off, have trims to keep the feet well balanced and see what happens then that is an option, but I wouldn't blame you for choosing to PTS in the very sad circumstances.

 

[Equi]

Im just thinking, would Rockley Farm be a type of place that could help? Im basing this on the fact they are very good with barefoot/navicular type things...but then i expect it would not be cheap.

 

[SusieT]

If he's only 8 I would turn him away for 12-24 months then reassess. Worst case he's still lame, best time heals and off you go. Assuming he is not crippled lame atm.

 

[scats]

Can you take his shoes off and turn him away for 12 months? Then you can take the pressure off yourself and enjoy being a mum, plus give time a chance to do its thing. Then rescan next year and see what you have? It might be easier to make a decision then. Even if you do PTS then, if it hasn’t healed, he’ll have had a super 12 months being a horse and not had the stress of box rest, rehab etc.

Mine had a decent hole in his DDFT. He was also diagnosed with navicular at the same time and some arthritis. He came sound to a point but never felt the same to ride. I eventually gave him 6 months out to be a horse and then put him to sleep.

 

[splashgirl45]

if you do decide to turn away you need to make sure he is on decent ground and is not hobbling around in a foot of mud. turning away sounds like a lovely solution but it may not be comfortable for him.. quality of life is the most important and if he cant be comfortable and enjoy being a horse then PTS is kinder...

 

[HorsesRule2009]

If you can find somewhere suitable I would strongly consider/ discuss with vet turning him away.
And even more so due to you expecting.
Time is a great healer

 

[Lovely jubbly]

Whip shoes off turn away for a year or possibly two. Horses do heal given time let Mother Nature do her thing. PTS is nothing to be a ashamed of I’ve had several old horses over the years that had their last summer with me.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have two with less severe more chronic type presentation of this injury both where much older than your horse .
I would based on what I have learned PTS in your shoes .

 

[paddi22]

having rehabbed a serious daft tear, I wouldn't consider box rest or remedial shoes. I took the shoes off mine and turned him away in a small paddock, gradually increasing it (on good flat non-poached ground) for 8 months. I wouldn't go down the box rest route and more recent scientific thinking is that it isn't beneficial for them. they recent thinking is that controlled movement heals better.

but honestly with all the stuff you mention I would PTS. it's such a horrible choice to make, but the arthritis would swing it for me to pts.

 

[RRM0820]

Thank you all for your comments. Just to update everyone although heartbreaking for me the outcome for my horse is one that is very positive given the circumstances. A vet nurse at the hospital offered to give him a retirement home as a non ridden companion. I am able to keep
in touch and the vet treating him (who came to me with this offer) will make sure he is monitored.

 

[splashgirl45]

that sounds like a good solution as long as he is monitored and given pain relief or PTS if he is not doing well. at least you can concentrate on keeping yourself fit and well...

 

[Lovely jubbly]

That’s great news I’m sure a veterinary nurse will make a great home for him. Can’t see that he won’t be monitored or left without pain relief…that’s silly to say. You have to do what’s best for you and the horse

 

[Izzwizz]

My mare had a similar injury, we did do box rest etc at the time as it was the right thing to do. She did live out after all this and fared quite well. My currently gelding has injured his SDFT and suspensory ligament on the same leg. Also did the rehab routine with him as his was pretty bad, a field incident in which he was chased and fell over. He has moved yards now and is having time out in the field until next Spring, he looks much better already for being out but is on a big field to himself and has grass, no mud.
If I were you and you can find the right place for him to live I would turn away and let Dr Green take over and enjoy your pregnancy/new baby. See what next year brings

Just seen your update, thats brilliant news!

 

[sport horse]

I have a 24 year old mare who sustained a similar injury at age 12 as a result of a sporting accident. I am in the position of having my own land and yard. She rested for one year, had several foals. She is field sound but every now and then she reactivates the injury and we have to bring her in, rest her for a couple of weeks, bute and then put her out again. She has never been sound enough to work. Not many people ae in my position and in your place I would seriously consider PTS. Sorry.