Forelimb suspensories

[sjdress]

My mare has been on and off lame for about 3 months , lots of rest and bute trials inbetween. Came to a head when she became mega nappy so vet came out. Lame on outside fore on a circle and leg sensitive to touch. No heat or swelling. Vet thought front suspensory so scanned, however nothing picked up on scanner. Horse had another 10 days off and now back in work 3 days and lame again. Is this usual to not see anything on scanner for this type of injury? Vet back out tomorrow but interested in people’s experience of this! Thanks.

 

[ester]

I'm confused how has the injury been identified if nothing on the scan? nerve blocked?

 

[sjdress]

I'm confused how has the injury been identified if nothing on the scan? nerve blocked?

It’s a bit of a guess to be honest! He said she’s not lame enough to nerve block but the lameness on the outside leg on a circle and sensitivity to touch is apparently usual for this type of injury?? I’ve never had a ligament problem before so no experience of this.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My Connie tweaked a front suspensory and although I knew he wasn't right even the vet struggled to see the lameness because sometimes he looked sound and other days he nodded slightly but she was convinced it was suspensory. Unlike your scan his scan showed a definite thickening of the ligament, no holes or tears but a very apparent difference in size to the other one so if your scan has come up with nothing then he may need an MRI instead.

We are now 15 months post injury and after shockwave treatment and three weeks of daily ice cold treatment at the spa he has been sound ever since and is back to jumping and cantering on good flat surfaces but I am very careful about where his feet go.

 

[ester]

If there is absolutely nothing on the scan I'd be very suspicious it's a red herring. was that on a surface or hard circle?

 

[sjdress]

If there is absolutely nothing on the scan I'd be very suspicious it's a red herring. was that on a surface or hard circle?

It was on a surface. Sound on hard ground and in straight line. Also flexion test with no abnormal result. She’s intermittently lame, not ever stride. But has become very nappy on the rein she is lame on so something is going on somewhere. Vet seemed quite confident, even though nothing showed on scan??

 

[ester]

ours had swelling (had previously had infection so was treated the same but red herring) but intermittent lameness and not a true hole in suspensory.

What did show her lameness up more was if she had schooled on a surface the day before and then trotting her up, but it took a while to work that out because we didnt' have much access to a surface at the time.

 

[Red-1]

If she is on/off lame with no obvious seat of pain, but napping then I would be old fashioned and turn her away until Xmas, bring in on a steady increase of work and see how she is next year.

 

[ihatework]

If she is on/off lame with no obvious seat of pain, but napping then I would be old fashioned and turn her away until Xmas, bring in on a steady increase of work and see how she is next year.

I’d agree. Subtle lameness presenting mostly on a circle surface is generally soft tissue. I’d just do a spell of extended rest with shoes off.

 

[sjdress]

The issue with that is we can’t turn away at our yard as they are only allowed out Day or night and also this horse doesn’t do turnout well. I tried to turn her out with my retired horse who is out all the time elsewhere and she just stood in the corner of the field most of the time and lost lots of weight

 

[ihatework]

The issue with that is we can’t turn away at our yard as they are only allowed out Day or night and also this horse doesn’t do turnout well. I tried to turn her out with my retired horse who is out all the time elsewhere and she just stood in the corner of the field most of the time and lost lots of weight

I think if you were going that route, then it is much better to send the horse away to somewhere set up for the situation - acreage, herd environment, good grass and shelter. There are very very few that don’t adapt to that.

 

[chaps89]

Mine had psd in her near fore. We box rested, did shockwave and rehabbed but she never quite came right.
Nowadays she's in the camp of sound enough to do the job she needs to do.
She wouldn't pass a vetting but the lameness is only very subtle.
However the leg is slightly thick around the suspensory and you could see it on the scan originally too.
I also think her habit of jumping 5ft plus fences when we first tried pen rest as opposed to box rest didn't really help her.

In your case, I'd maybe want a second opinion I think. And if funds don't allow then I'd echo turning away - at somewhere with large settled herds, big acreage and a natural environment.

 

[AnShanDan]

I had a 5 year old with a minor front suspensory injury a few years ago. It had been very dry and the ground was hard. she was sound in a straight line but lame on the outside leg on a surface on the lunge, that is classic for suspensory.
Scan showed minimal swelling compared to other leg, but nerve block was conclusive.
She had a long period of box rest with extensive walking, up to hacking for an hour before being turned out again. No further issues.
However, from your description of your horse I'd be suspecting soft tissue in the foot rather than higher up the leg. What nerve blocks were done? When my mare was lame she did react slightly to the vet squeezing her leg in the correct area, I couldn't get a reaction tho. He also seemed to go on flexing her knees and comparing them.

 

[sjdress]

So the plot thickens! As I wasn’t totally convinced with the vets diagnosis and my thought was it was coming from behind I sent my horse for a full lameness work up. Initially they thought front suspensories but then put a lameness detector on which showed she was lame behind.... nerve blocks to suspensories behind and she became sound, and sound in front. Again scanned and it only showed a slight inflammation but vet convinced with his diagnosis of hind suspensories. So that plan now is to shockwave the hind legs...
She also had hocks x Rayed which were insignificant.

 

[ester]

It's worth mentioning SI joints were hind suspensories are involved too. I decided against mentioning it to a friend who had hers operated on as I figured the vets had it in hand, 2 months post op it had it's SI injected.