fractures in the foot any experience good or bad

twisteddiamond

twisteddiamond

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after many months of tests to find out why my horse has been intermittently (sp) lame my horse has been diagnosed with a fracture of the coffin bone that has led to a bone chip (and various other arthritic changes) which may or may not be causing the lameness, i was wondering if anybodys horse had suffered anything similar and what the outcome was as i have been asked to come into the surgery to discuss my options which sounds very ominous
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I'm just going through a fractured pedal bone at the moment (original post fractured pedal bone )

We have just started a month of box rest before re-evaluation, and prognosis is guarded at the moment, hopefully we will know more after the month.

I'll be thinking of you!
 
Firstly, don't panic - I have heard of lots of horses having fractured bones in their foot - usually pedal bone - that have gone on to recover well. You must be very relieved to at last have a diagnosis.

My experience wasn't so good - but to be fair, it was a fractured pedal bone the extent of which the vets had never seen before (from x-rays it was so shattered they couldn't tell how it should fit together again, if indeed it ever would - virtually no bone left). As you can imagine, that didn't turn out well. But, my horse was not weight-bearing on that foot, so something drastic had obviously happened, which sounds very different to your situation.

Try searching on here, I'm sure I've read lots of experiences of foot bone fractures.

Good luck, and try not to worry until you know more - it may just be that they want to show you the X-rays and discuss the implications.
 
Had the same experience some years ago with my mare who went dead lame when cantering in the manege one day. After numerous x-rays and examinations the vet couldn't decide what it was and suggested turning her out. We suspected a pedal bone fracture or 'chip' and another vet said it could be navicular.
She had 2 years off with a foal but has never ever been 100 % since, despite various medications.
We are now trying a french option of lots of real garlic to increase the blood flow and she seems better and hasn't needed Bute for months.
Good luck with your horse-hope he returns to soundness.
 
My mare fractured her pedal bone about 4 years ago. It took over a month to diagnose as she was only lame intermittently (like your case). She was on total box rest for 3 months and then brought back into work very carefully. She made a full recovery and we have had no further problems with that foot since. Luckily she was really chilled on box rest, as long as she got her daily fix of carrots.
Fingers crossed for you.
 
^ Was it comfrey? That's supposed to help with knitting bones.

I suspect fractures have always been more common than we know, especially mild, non-displaced ones, considering how many horses are now diagnosed with them now we have more advanced diagnostic options. I wonder how many horses have been turned out and "come right" because of something like this?

How it heals depends a great deal on the size, type and location of the fracture and the horse in question - age, conformation, behaviour etc. A long box rest is probably essential, although I know there are also special shoes, packing etc that can help in some cases.

The chips and arthritis would seem to complicate things but only your vet can really advise you properly, having seen the x-rays.

If you do have to confine your horse and she's not taking it well, I'd urge you to speak to your vet about possible ways of keeping her relatively quiet. Walking around, even a bit of hopping about, is unavoidable but you don't want to risk too much.
 
Hi, my 5 yr old Standardbred fractured her nearside hind pedal bone 4 months ago, she is on complete box rest (can't even come out for mucking out
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) it is quite a wide fracture and had initially gone into the coffin joint, she has an eggbar shoe on and on a bute every other day along with Comfrey. She has to stay on box rest for a further 2 months and then can be walked out inhand for 5 mins a day for another 2 months. She will have another x ray at 8 months and the vet says that we should see a dramatic change then. I am ever hopeful she will come sound as she is a lovely mare, but only time will tell really.

Good luck with your horse, i hope you have a good result, i am told that once healed the bone is really strong.
 
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