Foal - angular limb deformity. Experiences please

[Tidy Paquet]

My 10 week old foal will be visiting the vets in the next couple of days as her front near side pastern is looking twisted from the fetlock.
My farrier has said he would like it x rayed.
I realise that the farrier may be able to do more but the vet has mentioned surgery .
This sends me in to a blind panic!!
Please tell me your experiences and whether it will do more harm than good in the long term.
As soon as surgery is mentioned I think of problems further down the line , as a mature working horse.

PLEASE HELP!

 

[fatpiggy]

I thought they put plaster casts on affected limbs to straighten them, not surgery.

 

[vikkiandmonica]

Can I just ask, why does this happen to foals, and are some more likely to get it than others?

 

[Janetterose]

I know of a stallion that frequently throws deformed foals. Hes in top demand but it is well known that it happens. Dont understand why people go there my self!!

 

[kerilli]

Kissy_S, i doubt that is common knowledge... please let me know by pm the name of the stallion, just for my own use.
VikkiandMonica, i think it is something that can happen due to the positioning of the foal in the womb. obv an older horse with a deformity will usually be pts.
OP, if you post pictures, i am sure people on here with experience of such things can advise.
i had a foal operated on at about 4 weeks to have uneven growth plates at the knees scraped. now i know that this problem can be self-levelling and therefore the op was probably totally unnecessary... he came totally sound and straight, fwiw.

 

[vicijp]

If the vets advise surgery go for it, at 10 weeks old time is running out to make a major change to the bone structure. Better surgery now then have a deformed cripple for the rest of its life.

 

[Tidy Paquet]

Thanks.
Kerrilli - how old is your horse now, that had the knees scraped please?
I am probably jumping the gun and she may just need a special little shoe, as you can see the deviation is on the near fore - it did match the off fore but has suddenly grown more on one side.

 

[Daisychain]

Im not being funny, but i think your vet likes making money.... I hardly think there is anything worth worriying about at this stage.

If it was me, i would leave well alone.

 

[S_N]

A few questions:

a) Is your vet a stud vet?
b) Have you sought a second opinion?
c) Has Shockwave Therapy been mentioned?

 

[Tidy Paquet]

[ QUOTE ]
A few questions:

a) Is your vet a stud vet?
b) Have you sought a second opinion?
c) Has Shockwave Therapy been mentioned?

[/ QUOTE ]
Answers are as follows-

a) No
b) No but I will if surgery is suggested
c)No
xx

Daisy Chain - You have cheered me up x

 

[S_N]

Surgical intervention for angular limb deformity is usually a last resort, especially in the UK - in the States they are far more scalpel happy!! IMHO from my experiences with limb deformities, with only the photos you have posted to go on and no video and not having seen the foal, I doubt surgery is necessary. I do see the problem, but think it could be improved drastically with remedial/corrective farriery and possibly shockwave therapy (which generally done over a 3 treatments, a week apart). As has already been mentioned, at 10 weeks of age your window of opportunity for successful corrective work to be done is closing, as the growth plates in the long bones of a horse close from the bottom of the leg up. I really, really do think you should seek another opinion - from a specialist. Whereabouts in the country are you?

 

[kerilli]

the one i had who had the knees scraped would have been about 13 now, i had him pts a couple of years ago as he was a chronic headshaker who really suffered and was incurable. but his knees were totally straight and fine.
tbh that fetlock doesn't look bad to me, i'd get a specialist farrier to look at it and perhaps put a tiny glue-on shoe on, if she was mine. first pic looks much worse than second pic though, depends whether she usually stands as badly as in the first pic.

 

[almorton]

PLEASE get your vet to look asap.
bones grow via epiphyseal cartilages (located at the end of bones), uneven growth through the cartilages causes angular limb deformities, as one side grows quicker or slower than the other, this can be corrected by altering the stresses put through the bony column with corrective trimming / shoeing.
the important thing is that these cartilages turn to bone before the foal is 12months old, so you only have a very very limited time to influence them via either farriery work (extensions etc) or vet intervention, and straighten them up.
your farrier wants xrays to look at the angle of the bones within the leg, and the degree of closure on the plates. he will then decide what to do about it, with the vet. it is well worth doing!
edited to add - if you want your foal to stand up to a decent level of work when he is mature, he has a lot more chance if he is made straight through intervention of either vet or farrier, than if you leave him, plenty of foals have glue on shoes etc and it does them the world of good

 

[chevs]

Hi

My foal had surgery 3 weeks ago for this. Her right leg was very turned out, her left marginally. My vet took photos and e-mailed them to an orthopedic surgeon who said theres no way the right leg would come right with remedial farriery. I then got my farrier out and he totally agreed. My filly had the op when she was 4 weeks old.

My vet is a very experienced stud vet, who has worked at a number of stud farms, here and abroad.

3 weeks on and what a difference. She had a screw placed in the right leg and had a pereostal strip done on the left leg.

My foal had it done at the Glasgow vet school and they said its very common.

My filly also has glue on shoes on. Thankfully the whole experience hasn't fazed her in the slightest.

Looking at the photos your foals legs dont look too bad to me, not bad enough to require surgery.

Good Luck

Good luck

 

[Tidy Paquet]

Thanks to every one for the replies.
I have read it all carefully.
My farrier is extremely good ,old! and experienced in these matters! He has trimmed the foot a couple of times and would normally expect a change by now and was set to use something on the foot to help but wanted to see x rays to help him decide what was good and right.
I think the vet is just telling me too much without actually even seeing her yet! But I was panicing!!
I have learnt more about the subject from you all and can now see the vet and feel better equiped armed with all your information.

Thanks again.

 

[Tidy Paquet]

Quick update.
Vet came today and the farrier, what is worrying them both is that the foot is going off in a slightly different direction with a little rotation.
When the foal walks, trots and canters every thing looks normal and good.
The vet has taken pics and is contacting a vet more experienced in these matters.
Looks like we will have x rays done tomorrow (Sat) or Monday
So the ball is rolling.
Can't thank you all enough.

PS Grey gates - I looked at your Web site and if I didn't already have enough horses I'd be looking at your gorgeous chestnut gelding 6 years!

 

[Cobbysmum]

I had a foal with angular limb deformity on both front legs. She was in cast from a few days old for around four weeks and is now nine years old and fine.

 

[almorton]

thanks tidypaquet!
i like his highlights!
a girl on the yard just bought him this week so i get to keep him kind of!