Going against vet advice for medial collateral ligament injury

[Jesstickle]

My horse has possible suspected soft tissue but he's not lame enough to investigate. Vet options were to ride him until he breaks properly or turn away. He's just mooching in the field for six months. Vets are fine with that. I'm not having him MRI'd, he's a horse! He'll either come right with rest or he won't. Vets are fine with him out pottering about.

In the old days, and I don't really even mean that long, no one had MRIs done on horses. If nothing showed on x-ray, ultrasound or blocks the horse was turned away. End of. Realistically soft tissue injuries need time, just like they do in people.

Obviously in your situation I have turned away. I can't advise you though and it's different for me as the vet is also my friend and I'm not just a client which changes the advice you get I think.

 

[Zuzzie]

I'm really sorry to hear this Zuzzie. It's exactly the kind of thing that I want to avoid. How is he now?

Sorry this response is so late - only just spotted it!
He is now a happy hacker as his foot never did come right. He is sound on the right diagonal when riding in trot but unlevel on the left. Foot balance has been improved and he is shod with egg bar shoes. We hack out every morning and he gets turned out every afternoon.

He is very happy in himself and wants to be out and about. Despite his problem he is still a complete monkey at times as he can put in a spin and buck in the blink of an eye. Whilst he is enjoying life we are carrying on.

There are so many things I would do differently with the benefit of hindsight - firstly: the main thing being getting the foot balance right. My vet was reluctant to point the finger at my farrier (professional etiquette and all that!) but in the end I had to part company with him and get someone to take over. His feet are so much better now! Secondly: not wasting my money on all the treatments that didn't work and an MRI scan that cost me £800 (we were uninsured). Turning away for a year would probably have achieved a better result!

 

[HashRouge]

My horse had collateral ligament damage, right fore, (confirmed by MRI) recommendation was 3 months box rest. However, he also had arthritis in his coffin joint. Result: came out of box rest worse than when he went in. He was literally hopping lame in walk which he never was before - it was only seen in trot. Although he coped really well with the box rest, as soon as he came out he was lethal. Had to sedate him just to turn him out in a small pen. With the benefit of hindsight I would not do this again.

This is almost EXACTLY what my mare has!! She will be having MRIs soon to confirm the extent of the damage, but she ultrasounds have already shown ligament damage and we know she has arthritis in the coffin joint (that was picked up several months ago). What I'm hoping to do is paddock rest, although it may mean moving yards, which I don't really want to do. Your post has confirmed my belief that box rest would be disastrous!!

 

[Zuzzie]

This is almost EXACTLY what my mare has!! She will be having MRIs soon to confirm the extent of the damage, but she ultrasounds have already shown ligament damage and we know she has arthritis in the coffin joint (that was picked up several months ago). What I'm hoping to do is paddock rest, although it may mean moving yards, which I don't really want to do. Your post has confirmed my belief that box rest would be disastrous!!

Good luck. If you are advised to rest your horse, I would recommend turnout into a small pen where they can mooch about but not hoon around - that way, the arthritis will be kept mobile and the CLD will have some sort of rest. My horse is doing suprisingly well on one bute per day, although he will never be 100% but at least I am able to ride him as a light hack. Do not fall into the trap of having steriod injections to help the arthritis - David Bolt of the Royal Veterinary College said that these slow down the healing process of the CLD. Its a bit Catch 22 - two different problems which have totally opposite treatments!

 

[fionasyr]

Hi Poppy

I realise this thread is quite old now but I found it when searching for advice on a similar problem and would be really interested to know whether your horse eventually became sound.

My mare has been lame since May and despite X rays and an MRI, the only possible cause is slight damage to the medial collateral ligament in her left fore. She's been on bute and a course of anti-inflammatory injections and now has bar shoes and anti concussion pads. But nothing has really made much difference. The Vet has suggested laser therapy and another MRI. My preference would be to take the shoes off and rest her over the winter to see whether it makes any difference.

The vet hasn't suggested box rest - she hates being in a stable anyway. Currently she's in a small outside pen during the day and turned out at night.

Any info/suggestions/advice would be extremely helpful!! Many thanks.

 

[PaulnasherryRocky]

Hi Poppy

I realise this thread is quite old now but I found it when searching for advice on a similar problem and would be really interested to know whether your horse eventually became sound.

My mare has been lame since May and despite X rays and an MRI, the only possible cause is slight damage to the medial collateral ligament in her left fore. She's been on bute and a course of anti-inflammatory injections and now has bar shoes and anti concussion pads. But nothing has really made much difference. The Vet has suggested laser therapy and another MRI. My preference would be to take the shoes off and rest her over the winter to see whether it makes any difference.

The vet hasn't suggested box rest - she hates being in a stable anyway. Currently she's in a small outside pen during the day and turned out at night.

Any info/suggestions/advice would be extremely helpful!! Many thanks.

Hi Fiona, can I ask how your horse (and the OPs) is doing now? Going through the same, following vet and farrier advice of remedial shoes and turn away - but considering barefoot for the long term now as i can't see any difference and it has been 3 months

 

[ycbm]

Zombie thread alert. Fiona only made one post and that was four years ago.

PR if you start a new thread you will get plenty of input from others who have gone down this route.

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