DDFT Tear and Navicular Damage - Prognosis Advice

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JadeDavies1991

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Hi all,

Wondered if anyone could help/ has had a similar experience. My horse was recently diagnosed with a 6cm tear in his DDFT (I have enclosed a bit of the vet report as they explain it better than I can!)

On the 27th January 2016 Cino underwent an MRI scan of both front feet. This revealed in the left fore foot, a big tear of the medial lobe of the deep digital flexor tendon extending from the pastern joint to the insertion of the tendon into the pedal bone. The tear was 5% of the cross sectional area and was 6 cm long. This was associated with a moderately large synovial mass protruding into the navicular bursa as a result of the torn tendon fibres origination from the dorsal aspect of the tendon itself. There was also marked “bone bruising” of the navicular bone.I have advised that the prognosis is, sadly, poor. It is known that the size of the lesion is critical to the prognosis. Horses with lesions greater than 10% of the tendon area, or longer than 3cm do not usually return to their previous levels of use, while those with lesions greater than 20% or longer than 3.5cm usually remain lame.

I have done some reading and have seen many people suggest barefoot, and wondered why this is? He has wedges on at the moment and we have been advised by the vet to use these for 12-18 weeks.

Please feel free to share both good and bad stories - the vet has prepared me that the prognosis is not good, so I am intrigued to hear peoples experiences!

Thanks,

Jade
 
Hi Jade,

Firstly, I'm so sorry to hear about your boy. You must be in a bit of shock.

I have recently had a similar diagnosis to yours by MRI (albeit the tear in my boy’s DDFT wasn’t as long). The recommended treatment was to have corrective shoeing and to medicate the joint but sadly he was still lame after several months. I made the decision to transition him to barefoot and he currently at Rockley undergoing his rehab. He is showing some really good progress so I am very positive that I will have a sound horse back in a few weeks.

I am a newbie to all of this too so it may be better to speak to Nic at Rockley as she will have a better explanation as to why the success rate for these types of injuries is much higher by going barefoot but in brief, my understanding is that when a horse is suffering from caudal heel pain (or navicular syndrome as is also used) they start to land toe first, this exacerbates the problem and causes soft tissue damage and eventually (as I assume with your boy) bone deterioration. By taking the shoes off, you allow the hoof to work as it should and the horse to land heel first therefore relieving the pressure on the tendons and ligaments and for those to repair themselves . As I say, I am not 100% sure if this is an accurate explanation and there is far, far more to it than that but I don’t feel I’m qualified to answer. As I said, Nic is very helpful and extremely knowledgeable so perhaps worth a call?

I really hope that you have a good outcome.
 
I believe that the barefoot route is worth a try as I have heard Rockley Farm is meant to specialise in this type of thing. Treatment is tailored to your particular horse and its problems.

Neurectomy is the next step if this fails, but not many people would be happy with this scenario.
 
Thank you both. I have heard about Rockley Farm, and will certainly look into it. The vet did mention Neurectomy, but as long as he is 'field sound' I would rather retire him.

indychick30 I hope your boy recovers soon too - fingers crossed! It really was a big shock. The vets suggested cortisone injections for the navicular bone, but said there is something in it that can delay/ prevent the healing of the tendon. They have asked to re-do the MRI in 6 months to see if there has been any improvement at all.

Thanks again x
 
If you do decide to go barefoot be carefull after using wedges because the flexor tendons will have to stretch again and will need to be done slowly
 
I would speak to your vets and ask them to discuss sending your horse to Rockley for treatment - mine is there atm with indychick's horse (and by all accounts my horse is a bit in love with hers :D )

If you leave it 6 months before you MRi again, you will use all your money up on that, and not have anything left to actually help it IMHO. The cortisone some what I understand is an anti - inflammatory so reduces blood flow to the area, and blood flow is required to help heal tendons.

My boy had the same diagnosis as yours, although less severe but in both feet. He had wedges on for 10 weeks or so, and was still as lame at the end of that whilst being on restricted turnout as he was at the start. The wedges relieve the immediate discomfort, but as SullivanB said, in the long term the tendons will shorten and adapt and you will likely get the same lameness straight back again, they are used as a short term fix. One option was surgery to try and knit the tendon back together, or go to Rockley. I don't want to put my horse through a GA, so chose Rockley as I also hope this wil provide a long term solution. He's now been at Rockley for 5 weeks, shoes came off the first day :)

I would send Nic at Rockley an email, along with your vet report, and see if she thinks she can help. Then get talking to your vet about the long term prognosis. For me, even getting my horse back comfortably field sound would be great, anything else a huge bonus, I think surgical options would not give me this (although obviously I can't do both options to see which si best!!)
 
Following the veterinary advice you have been given, I agree the prognosis is poor.

However, if you are brave enough to turn your back on this approach and give the horse about 6 months to transition to barefoot under the care of a specialist I would give a much better prognosis.
 
Hi, sorry to hear about this diagnosis. My friends horse had the same injury several years ago. Prognosis was poor, but given his age (rising 4 and just backed) the vets felt it would be fair to give him a chance. He was put through a barefoot rehab at home and whilst it took a long time, about 18 months, he did come sound. However it transpired that the hoof damage was caused by an underlying gut issue, that ultimately couldn't be resolved and he was sadly put to sleep a year ago. However the ddft did heal and the navicular changes reversed themselves with barefoot. This is more info on this case if you look at my prev threads ref 'teddy' or 'very sick horse'!

FWIW, I keep both of mine barefoot, I'm not in the slightest bit anal about it, but if you balance a bit of work on roads with a sensible diet its easy to manage and in my experience SO much easier than having shod horses. The only time i'd shoe is if the horse really couldn't cope or if i needed studs.
 
Short answer as I should be in bed asleep, not perusing HHO and FB!!

Same diagnosis but months down the line as vet messed about with tildren and navicular bursa injections first before MRI'ing so DDFT was healing buy the time it was diagnosed.
Barefoot, much to the vets disgust = Arc equine, rest and turn out. Mare is 23, sound as a pound and back jumping albeit I am very careful about the surface she goes on.

A more detailed post tomorrow - if indeed you are interested in our rehab story.
 
My mare was diagnosed with DDFT tears in both fronts and navicular changes, diagnosis was neither good nor poor.
She has always been barefoot, shoes did not help. She had tildren and came sound and I was riding again 5 months later. But she went lame again 2 months later and treatment didn't work.
She's currently enjoying life in the field and has been for the last 6 months. Going to see how she is very soon. She looks ok but who knows when I properly look at her
 
Hi OP

Sorry to revive an old thread but just wondering what you decided to do for your boy in the end and did he ever come sound?

My 5yo mare was diagnosed with a DDFT tear in her LF on Friday so I'm just starting down the path of working out the best course of action for her.
 
festivefuzz what did you decide to do my horse was diagnosed with a a DDFT tear on the hind in july :( i have turned him out for a couple of months to see if rest helps him and bought a arc
 
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