Deep Digital Flexor Tendon Injury ....

[Hattikins]

Well the vet is pretty much certain this is what Fiddler has in his left fore foot - he is now going for an MRI scan to confirm this and/or see if it is something slightly different. We've been told he has a 50/50 chance of coming back into full competitive use (although we would be happy if he came back just to hack). Anyway has anyone had any experience with these injuries?? Any advice etc. would be gratefully recieved

 

[mandyl]

hi my horse had the same injury in 2002 he had 18 months off and then raced another 4 times before coming to me. i know school and hack out

 

[Sprout]

So sorry to hear your diagnosis.
My 7 yo went very lame last year after just playing in the field, and severe damage to his deep digital flexor tendon was finally confirmed with an MRI scan.
I was hoping to at least retire him off and let him just be happy out in the field with my other boys, but not even that was possible.
His injury was very severe and the vet gave him no chance of recovery at all, even with box rest for a year.
It sounds as though you have a much better chance of recovery, I wish you lots of luck.

 

[SillyMare]

Tendon injuries are bad news, but there are plenty of horses out there that get back to full fitness.

Your vet will be able to give you a view of the prognosis based on your individual situation.

There are loads of horses racing / eventing at top level with a history of tendon problems!

 

[juliehannah58]

My mare had a very minor amount of damage to her DDFT behind her knee, even that was enough to put paid to her ridden career, although she will eventually be OK to hack out. She was only ever 1/2 a 10th lame, so gutting! She is now in foal instead, shame you haven't got that option with a boyo

So sorry to hear that, especially as I know you have spent so long waiting for his other injury to heal

 

[MarthaRodman1]

A friend of mine, her horse injured his DDFT, they are rare injuries, cause the SDFT (Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon) sits on top of the DDFT, so people not quite sure how one underneath gets injured and not top one! Anyway, my friends horse had a v poor prognosis, but after bout 6/9 months box rest and bout 3/4 months of just walking on the roads and school - he is now sound and back into full work, and has been for over year. She even jumps him, but only on a surface.

My boy injured his SDFT last year, and I to was given a v poor prognosis, they just couldn't say. Anyway, after stem cell treatment, he's back into full work and jumping and has been since Feb this year.

It's always so hard for vets to make a definate progosis with tendons, cause each horse heals differently. I really didn't know if Jack would come good for bout 4 months, he was box rested and then re-scanned and he had made a v v good recovery! It's just a waiting game I'm afraid. From past experience, all I can say is don't give up at the first hurdle, listen to your vet and go with their advice. Everybody told me to turn him away for a year, have him pts sleep etc etc, now look at him - alright I went through almost 9 months of box rest and lots and lots of walking - but he came good!

Fingers crossed and hang on in there!

MX

 

[RachelB]

I'm sorry to hear of someone else with similar problems! My mare has a 2cm tear of the DDFT along the length of the pedal bone in her left fore foot. She also possibly has adhesions forming between the bone and the tendon where the cartilage is degenerated at the end of the DDFT (which is a whole other issue for her). Her prognosis is 25-30% chance of returning to "full ridden work", but my vet has told me not to even think about hoping to be able to do more than hack her if I'm very lucky. She's had 5 months box rest (and been in a small grass pen for 2 hours every day), and last weekend was turned away. This will last 9-12 months and then we'll drag her out the field and trot her up. If she's sound then great, we'll try to find out just what has happened in there and how much she has healed, then start hacking her again. If she's lame we'll leave her longer.
If I were you I would not be thinking anything is certain until after the MRI. The vet who does the MRI will be able to give you a diagnosis, then your vet should be able to give you a prognosis based on your horse and the injury. Recommended time off is usually a year minimum, including a few months on box rest.
TBH 50% chance of recovery is pretty good for a DDFT injury as far as I have discovered. Keep your fingers crossed and your horse calm and I hope it works out for you.

 

[Hattikins]

Thank you everyone - your comments and experiences were really helpful - we are prepared for the worst but obviously holding out hope for anything slightly better than that. tbh we are just pleased that he wasnt given a one way ticket with navicular - atleast with this injury he has even a small chance of returning to work.

I will keep you all posted if anyone is interested to hear how we get on - from now on he will be on box rest and in a 15 by 15 foot paddock. and he will go for the MRI scans within the next 2 weeks. they still arent totally sure its DDFT injury anyway - it may well be some other soft tissue damage - no one knows - we will just wait with baited breath and see...

 

[cyearsley]

Hi, my horse is off work at mo with suspected tear to the DDFT, has been ultrasounded twice and had hydratherapy for two weeks and rapidly improved from 6/10 lame to 2-3/10 lame fter the fortnight. He is now on another 6 weeks box rest (and have a network of 5m x 5m pens setup so know exactly how you feel!). His tear (they think it is about 1cm) is just above the fetlock and whilst they were very guarded at first, because of the lack of swelling nd improvement in the first two weeks they are now much more positive. They have said if he is sound when I go back I can start gentle riding though am desperately trying not to get my hopes up. He is on cartrophen each week to help the cartiledge repair and is now up to walking in hand for 10 mins a day and goes out either in pen of grazed in hand for about three hours so touch wood is handling it quite well. PM me if you want any further details or someone to chat to who is going through same thing. I know it's difficult but try to stay positive and optimistic - ithelps to get through the endless hours of mucking out, skipping out, grazing in hand, fencing etc ! Bless them ! All the best

 

[Hattikins]

Thank you CLY - thats really encouraging to hear

really good luck with yours - my fingers are firmly crossed for you

tbh we are going to keep our minds very open until he has his MRI scans - then we'll see what happens from then on...

 

[MizElz]

My old horse Mickey sustained a similar injury when some b***ard on the road rammed us into a ditch...he was hopping lame the next day, and when we took him into Lambourn for a scan, they found that he had ruptured the flexor tendon. They advised 9 months minimum box rest, but sadly, my boy never made it: two months down the line, he suffered an anaphylactic shock to his penicillin medication (for a bandage sore on his injured leg). He died in his stable, almost instantly. Just 10 years old.

 

[jesterfaerie]

I am sorry to hear there is a chance this may be the outcome for F, Hattikins.
Thankfully I have not have a horse do any tendon damage so I cannot be of any help there but my fingers are crossed for you and F (also for everyone else who has a horse under the weather at the moment) that you get good news and he has a speedy recovery and is back in full working order for you to compete with him again

 

[Hattikins]

Thank you Hardcore

He is on his second day of box rest having disgraced himself in his 15 by 15 grass pen! he will be going for MRI scans in the next week or two and we'll just wait and see