Feeling quite upset and not sure what to do

[Paint it Lucky]

Struggling to write what I want to say in this post as am feeling pretty devastated/in shock so will try to keep it short and just ask for advice. My horse was x-rayed yesterday following months of lack-lustre performance on the flat which I was sure must be due to some pain somewhere. He has a tiny bone chip in each hind fetlock. Does anyone have any experience of this? Vet wants him to have surgery but this is a big step for me as he is not insured and I don’t have a lot of money, I want to do it but am worried there may be other complications which may make it even more expensive and I may not end up with a sound horse at the end of it. Trying to decide what to do for the best long-term wise. Vet has given him cortisone injections for now to see if this helps at all. Guess I’m just after anyone’s advice or experiences really? Vet reckons the chips have probably been there since he was a yearling but are only not affecting him as I am asking more from him, particularly in terms of engagement and collection which require him to really step under behind and obviously this is hurting him. I find it odd that if they’ve always been there why haven’t they hurt him more before? (He is 13). And wonder if maybe something else is going on to? He has always had windgally fetlocks, he was driven quite hard as a youngster so I assumed it was from this but maybe it is the chips that have caused it. They’ll want to ultrasound scan him beforehand if he does go for surgery to check nothing else is wrong, I’m worried his tendons and ligaments may be damaged too.

 

[JGC]

Bless you. I have a horse who had chip removed from her hind fetlocks before I bought her (this was all disclosed to me, I have the original x-rays, etc.). She had not been affected by them (she was three at the time), but they were removed because the vets said that they would affect her for higher level work (more collection, more weight taken behind). It's actually more and more common with WB (don't know if your horse is a WB) and the operation is pretty common over here (the continent) in any case. My horse got back to work pretty quickly and certainly you wouldn't know that she had had it done. Can't say much more, as she wasn't mine at the time, but hope this helps you a bit.

 

[brighteyes]

Sounds a bit odd to me - are you sure he isn't starting with spavin and the bone chips aren't a red herring?

 

[Archiepoo]

so sorry your in this predicament, i have been unfortunatly uninsured in the past and had to make hard decisions too. well i would be honest with the vet and ask them if the horse will come right for what you wish to do regardless of the money it would cost. if the vet says yes then you need to ask how much XYZ will cost and if they do a payment program. if they dont think the horse will ever come right for your purpose but would be ok for hacking etc then you could consider that (loaning or selling)

 

[YasandCrystal]

I think you are right to be asking questions before jumping in for an operation. A friend of mine's horse had a bone chip which had caused pain and she had it operated on, however only to learn of much more serious dameage behind and in front due to the way the horse has been compensating for a few years. Her horse is much younger than yours. So my advice would be to maybe see what could be determined and gained from a scan in the first place and then consider an operation.
Good luck

 

[Stoxx]

My 5 year old had small bone chips removed from his hocks. They weren't causing him pain at the time but I didn't want them to be a problem later on when he was being asked to work harder.
He moved beautifully before the operation and my vet was extremely happy that he moved even better after it!

Sadly he is no longer with me but not as a result of any complication from that surgery.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Thanks, JGC that is reassuring, he is a warmblood, it's nice to hear of success stories!

Brighteyes, I had his hocks x-rayed too and there were very mild beginnings of cloudiness/arthritis in small bones in hock joint but vet said that is nothing to worry about at the moment (though I will be asking her about joint supplements, etc, anything else I should do to stop it getting worse).

Vet thinks the operation should work if it's just the chips but wants to do more investigation first to check nothing else is going on. She says if I just wanted to hack I could carry on as he is as he's not lame as such just not perfect! But I don't really want to just hack, I love dressage and eventing. If I knew I could definately get him sound enough to do these then it would be an easy decision, it's the uncertainty that makes it hard. Some people think I should loan him out as a hack and get something else and that it's unfair of me to push him to go further competitively. I really love my horse and can't imagine not having him, I need to do what's best for him and me and at the moment i'm not sure what that is

 

[sjdress]

My horse had a chipped bone removed from his fetlock 3 years ago. He is going the best he has ever gone now and working really on the leg. I am quite paranoid about that leg now and do lots of schooling exercises to keep it strong and working as he did favour the other leg for a while. he had about 3 months of box rest and small field rest after the op with in hand walking and then slowly built his work back up with no problems at all and was out competing again about 7 months on! Luckily the diagnosis was very good for him although he is likely to suffer with arthiritis in that leg as he gets older. Only problem i have had is with insurers not wanting to insure that leg at all now although have managed to get one to insure all but that fetlock!

 

[TheoryX1]

No advice regarding bone chips as have no experience of them, but have experience of cortisone injections into the fetlocks. Mini TX's mare was diagnosed with DDFT in both front legs in March this year. An MRI scan showed up tears on both legs adjacent to the navicular bone. The vet medicated both navicular joints with cortisone and she had an absolutely remarkable recovery, being totally sound within 6 weeks. She did have to wear bar shoes for a few months, but all is well now.

I hope whatever it is is resolved swiftly, but I can definitely testify the effectiveness of cortisone in this particular instance. As for box rest, that was pretty vile, as she developed a very effective way of rearing in her stable and waving her feet right in front of your nose when you were untying her haynet. Not nice. I do hope that it is resolved and diagnosed swiftly, and can quite understand you feeling upset. However, chin up, medical science is excellent and I am sure your pony will be fine soon.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Thanks again for all the advice.

TheoryX1, how long did the affects of the injections last for? I have been told to box rest my horse and just walk in hand for a few days for injections to settle, he is walking out beautifully already though not sure if this is just that he's a fit horse who's suddenly gone from living out 24/7 to being on box rest and he suddenly has lots of energy! Will know better when I get to ride him in a few days.

sjdress and Stoxx that is great to hear your horses had such good recoverys

Have had a lot of time to think about it today. Have decided I do want to go for the op if it's needed but will want his legs scanned more first to check nothing else is going on. Also will give the cortisone a few weeks to work and see what difference it makes. Horse has been neighing sweetly at me all day and being all affectionate now he is box rest, reminding me why I love him so much (the bugger!)

 

[wench]

I think you have made the right choice. Whilst it may cost a little more in the long run, you stand a better chance of being able to sort the problem properly if you know what your dealing with

 

[Nicnac]

My ex-racer knocked himself hard on a SJ in a BE event when he was 5. He was sound in walk but 3/10 lame in trot. Got vet out and scanned him and they found many chips in off fore fetlock. The vet thinks it was an injury from when he was very young and whacking his fetlock on the jump dislodged the chips. Did the op (he was insured) and very similar to previous poster box rest, little turn out etc. When they opened him up, the damage was worse than previously thought but I was lucky that the equine clinic had an amazing orthopaedic surgeon on secondment.

7 years on, he hasn't had a day lame since. Competing elementary dressage, just had an hour sj lesson this afternoon with lots of gridwork, gallops like a racehorse , so I think you are doing exactly the right thing checking that it is bone chips and going from there.

I have the chips in a test tube and am amazed at how much was removed!