DDFT Arthroscopy/Navicular Bursoscopy?

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dressage_diva

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Has anyone had any experience of DDFT Arthroscopy/Navicular Bursoscopy in a horse?

My 17year old gelding went hopping lame earlier this year after spooking at a pheasant whilst out on a hack! His x-rays were clear and the vet put it down to a strain to the collateral ligament as a nerve block suggested the pain was low down the leg/foot. After several months off on field rest, he was sound enough when lunged on hard ground that vet was happy for him to start being brought back into work. Nine weeks back into work we were doing a small burst of trot when he went lame again. Decided to get him MRI-d (as covered by insurance) and he's now been diagnosed as having a small lesion on his DDFT near the navicular bursa.

The prognosis isn't good - I've been told without surgery he will need to be retired to the field, but should be sound enough to carry on living happily. Vets have suggested he would be a good candidate for navicular bursoscopy to remove the lesion and then to have stem cell therapy to help with healing. They estimate between 40-60% chance of him being ridden again. Rehab would probably be around 6 weeks box-rest, followed by 6-12months field rest before I could try riding him.

I'm currently at a loss as to what to do. Money isn't an issue (insurance should cover majority of cost) but I am concerned at whether putting him through a GA and that op/box-rest would be unfair at his age? Btw, he's already also got dodgy hind suspensories so would only ever be able to hack, not jump again. But then I see him trotting around his paddock and whinnying at me and I know he loves being hacked out (he was very spritely when I was bringing him back into work earlier this year and seemed to have a new zest for life!). Also, the vets have said that whilst he would be field sound without the op, having the op may make things more comfortable for him. The vet who would be doing the op is also considered very experienced with that surgery/.

Would really appreciate hearing any first-hand experiences of people who have had horses go through something similar.
 
No personal experience but I know if this happened to me I'd be here like a shot:

http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/

The prognosis of the DDFT horses they treat is very good, the treatment is actually vey cheap, drug free and non invasive, and none of the very harmful side effects of box rest. I'd not go the vet recommended route.
 
Only you know what's right for your horse and your circumstances, but if the horse is already only suitable for hacking due to hind leg issues, I'd definatley be reluctant to put them through the trauma of an operation and box rest for a 40-60% chance of hacking soundness on the front leg.

A year off in the field would be my choice, then I'm sure he/she will be able to do something.

Could you talk though your concerns with your vet? Once you mention you are worried about his other issues, his age and previous soundess issues, he may have a different opinion on wheter this is the best course of action. Sometimes they get a bit focused on the current issue in hand and forget the bigger picture.

If you are only going to be pottering about anyway, I'm sure the vet would not be reluctant to give you a little bute to keep him/her happy once the year is out.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
I'm not going to come at you with a "go barefoot and everything will be shiny and great again" post .......

But PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have a chat with Nic of Rockley Farm either by phone or email before you make any decisions.

Navicular and DDFT are her bread and butter - but speak to her and she will be able to tell you straight if she thinks she can help you and your horse or not.

http://rockleyfarm.co.uk/contact.html
 
Thanks all - I'll definitely look into Rockley Farm, though I'll be honest my first thought is no because I couldn't bear to send him away for that length of time and it would be the longest time he'd ever have been apart from me (I've had him for 13 years since he was 4!). But I'll read up on their work and speak to them if I think it's worth it.

Regarding barefoot, he's already had all his shoes taken off after advice from my (well-respected) farrier.

@ Happy H - sadly the vets don't think even a year off in the field is going to make a bit of difference. The scan suggests it's chronic long-term damage which is irrepairable. The surgery would just be to remove the flap of tendon which is currently causing inflammation and pain and is what seems to be causing the sudden lameness to keep coming back when ridden - he keeps aggrevating it. The vets have been great too, both the expert surgeon who diagnosed him and our own vet who referred us to the vet hospital. My vet rang me last night and had a good long chat with me about everything and he's more than happy to talk through any queries I have. He's more than happy to put us forward for the surgery if that's what I chose, but is equally understanding of my concerns.

Would really appreciate hearing some tales of people who have been through the surgery and their experiences. I realise every horse is different, but feel like any information I can get is only going to help me come to the best decision for my boy. Thanks.
 
3 years my mare had a tear to her DDFT within her hoof, found with MRI scan. She also had inflammation to her navicular bursa. Her prognosis was not good at the time and pts was mentioned should all else fail. Anyway, we did wedges in shoes and box rest. The wedges were reduced over a short time and she then had egg bar shoes. Lots of handwalking later she is sound and has been so ever since. She also had her navicular bursa medicated. She unfortunately put stress on her opposite front leg and damaged her SDFT in that one, had a year off and now lives out. She is shod for Summer and shoes off for Winter and seems to do well, I have a very very good Farrier.

Thankfully she is doing great, we do hacking and thats all. I saw the images on her MRI and the tear was bad so I guess she is lucky to be here and sound.
 
My boy went lame back in the summer, had xrays and nerve blocks and only pinned down to the hoof area, so off for an MRI we went. The MRI results showed a small lesion to the DDFT, also by the navicular bursea, I was given a guarded prognosis. I did decide to go for the key hole surgery, where they went in and actually found that the tear was alot worse than the MRI had orginally found (apparently this is quite common and there is research going in to this at the moment). So we did 6 weeks of complete box rest and 6 weeks of box rest with in hand walking, with a view of turning him away for the winter and seeing how he was next spring, after 4 weeks of in hand walking, he starting to get a little dangerous with being in his box, which i dont blame him, so i decided i had to to turn him out, with vets advice and reassessment. Anyway vet says a miracle has happened, as he is barely 1/10th lame, so 6 weeks paddock rest and hopefully all going well after that, i should be able to start getting back on board :-)

I also had his shoes taken off, as vets advice was corrective shoeing, but after speaking to Nic at Rockley Farm, i decided against this

Which ever you decide to do, i wish you all the luck.
 
Jesstiggs said:
My boy went lame back in the summer, had xrays and nerve blocks and only pinned down to the hoof area, so off for an MRI we went. The MRI results showed a small lesion to the DDFT, also by the navicular bursea, I was given a guarded prognosis.
Click to expand...

Hi Jess

Thanks so much for your reply - the diagnosis sounds just like my boy's! How old was your horse at the time of surgery? Interesting that you said they found the tear to be worse than expected and that often happens - that isn't something my vets had said.

It sounds like you haven't been told your horse will need 6-12months of paddock rest before you re-introduce exercise, which was what my vets were suggesting.

Fingers crossed your horse continues to make a good recovery :)
 
Hi

My horse is only 8, he had the surgery in early august, so we are still early stages and I dont want to rush anything but fingers crossed.

Yes we had the MRI done at Belle Equine, apparently they are doing research into this at the moment, as it seems to be more common that the MRI is not picking up these types or damages aswell as they had orginally thought, and there have been a number of cases, where once surgery has been done, it has been found that the damage is often a lot worse then orginally thought.

No i havent been told he would that much time off, every case is different i guess, my was originally around 4/10th lame before he the surgery, and as said previously is now barely 1/10th, so fingers crossed he carries on like he is.

My vets have said he is quite a miracle as its quite unusual for them to heal so quickly especially with a tear in the hoof.

I have also had him on Global Herbs Tendoneaze which i have heard good reviews on, im not sure if this has helped the process, but like i say he is doing well, so i wouldnt disregard it.

If you have any more questions or just want some support please feel free to contact to me. I do have his mri pictures to, if you would like me to send you them so you can compare with your boys just let me know.
 
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