flexor tendon injury

fredders

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5 May 2014
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hi i haven't posted on here before. i have an 8 year old cob x. at the begining of the year he went lame on his right fore. it turns out he damaged his superfical and deep digital flexor tendons at his fetlock. He had 3 months complete box rest and 3 lots of shockwave therepy. Then 8 weeks box rest with walking in hand twice a day increasing the walking by 5 mins every week.he also had his tendon sheath medicated. By june i could start riding him and very gradually bring him back into work. he has done really well and is sound at the moment and has just started going out in the field again.
i just want to ask anyone if they had experince with this type of injury. how likely is he to stay sound? will it cause problems in later life? he never had any heat or swelling in his leg. we only found out what he had done from mri scan. i have seen posts for horses that have damaged either the superfical or deep flexor tendon but not both.
thank you very much :-) xx
 
My mare injured her superficial tendon in her front left a few years ago and didn't have any heat or swelling either. The tear was 4 sq.mm so relatively small but I gave her an entire year off to recover. Her front legs do now fill occasionally but the vet has said there is nothing to worry about and she is now back eventing, better than ever and has never had a lame day since.
I think that providing you have done everything the vet has said regarding box rest and gradually bringing him back into work, then there shouldn't be a problem if he has come back sound. My vet recommended using magnetic boots (I got a pair off ebay for about £10) during and after recovery to help stimulate blood supply and just to be careful about what ground I run her on :)
 
ahh thank you that is really encouraging. i have took it slow bringing him back into work so hopefully he will stay sound. i'll have to try some magnetic boots. did you use any supplements to help with tendon repair?
 
My last TB had badly damaged superficial flexor tendons in both front legs from a racing incident. He was turned away for about 12 months I think just prior to me buying him at the age of 12. The tendons were badly bowed on both front legs but they never caused him a days lameness and he was with me until he was PTS aged 21 from a completely different condition.
 
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