Hind Limb Suspensory Ligament Desmitis

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xStephx

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Hi all,

My horse Fred who is now 20 had the neurectomy on both hind suspensory ligaments about 8/9 years ago. I have recently read that this may only give a few more years riding which I was never told, how true is this? Had I been told I could have prepared myself possibly for what I have now and done other things to help with deterioration. I was only about 18 when I took him to Newmarket so not quite as clued up and blown away by all the jargon and obviously upset so never really thought to ask the question. I was just told a 75% chance of recovery.

He was at the vets yesterday to investigate a possible back problem as he is kicking out violently and bucking when ridden. He has always had tight muscles in his back since the operation which I put down to compensation for the ligaments. An xray and nerve blocks to the back proved that the issue is not with his back. Interestingly on trotting up she told me he was 1/10th bilaterally lame behind but worse on the left hind which corresponds with his suspensory as this was worse. My thoughts and I think the vets are that the problem is with the suspensorys. Which if this is the case there is nothing more the vets can do.

My only option is to go for a bone scan which I cannot afford without insurance (as he is 20 he is only covered for accidents). Also at his age and not coping well with this vet visit a bone scan is not option and probably only to be told it isn't treatable or something that is but is too expensive or too much to put him through.

The vet recommended turning away for 6 months and try riding again to see if time heals the problem. We have done a bute trial and no improvement. Obviously I am upset about not riding him as he still thinks he is 5 and is very supple for his age, but it is not the be all and end all I am just happy he is here and in every other respect he is happy and healthy.

I am just intrigued if this happened to anyone else who has had the neurectomy?

Thanks
 
I don't know, but the horse that had it here a year ago is just as bad as before the op right now. He was pronounced 100% sound after the op and 3 months rehab, but shortly afterwards, looks just as bad as ever. Not my horse, else he would have been retired. As it is, owner is carrying on regardless.

I think at 20 years old, you have had a good amount of riding out of your horse. If it were me, I would retire him. I think 20 is too old to start with any more invasive treatments, or even to turn away and expect them to come back into full work. Take the pressure off, and if you can afford to, retire him, or turn away for a few months and see if he can do light hacking after a good rest.
 
Interesting to hear about the horse on your yard and that it is just as bad now as it was before. Fred started head shaking the following summer after his op and only being able to ride for 4 months I decided to retire him, but he got a little better about 2/3 years down the line and with a full face fly mask was able to work during summer so came out retirement. He hasn't been worked hard since his op and I would imagine if he had this might well have come around sooner.

I agree I would not go invasive with him as I nearly lost him after the op to several colics and I know he would not cope and he went through so much in the first place with investigations into his ligaments. I always said I would never put him through that again. So retiring him is not a problem he has been there before and was quite alright. I can't really see myself getting back on him as I don't really think this problem whether it be suspensory or something else will go away and he doesn't hack as its too scary, otherwise I would consider this as just walking on a long rein he seems ok. He is just going to get lots of tlc and do bits of groundwork to keep his mind occupied.
 
I guess I could call the practice and ask to speak to a vet with interests / specialises in this area, normally we just see whichever vet is available. When we didn't get an answer yesterday to the nerve block in his back I asked if it was more likely to be his legs and she thought so, but didn't really shed any further light when I said being 1/10th bilaterally lame and slightly worse on the left tied in with how his suspensory ligaments were all those years ago, she just agreed, making it seem like this is likely the cause of the behaviour. She did also mention the possibility of arthritis /spavin. Almost sounded like because I didn't want to / can't take it further it wasn't worth talking about. Just turn away and retire or try riding in 6 months. She was one of those vets that can come across as talking to you like you are stupid sometimes and even my friend said the same so not really sure I would want to speak with her again but would probably be referred back to her as she has seen him.
 
Brightbay said:
Nerves regrow over time - a neurectomy is usually only ever a temporary fix. Have you got a good vet you could speak to about what's happening?
Click to expand...

I asked my vet this question as my horse is now 2 years post op, he said that the nerves if they are going to regrow tend to do it 18 months to 3 years post op, but that I was not to worry too much as they now take out a longer branch of the nerves than previous as this seems to stop the problem. So maybe in OP's case then this has happened but as far as my vet, Andy Bathe, who did the op and developed it, was concerned if they come sound then they rarely regrow these days.
 
I have heard of the nerve regrowing (this happened to BeckyD's horse) and my TB had a double neurectomy just over 18 months ago (did not hear about the 18mth - 3 yr time span). My vet said that it is rare but I know if this happens to mine then I wont be looking for any treatments as he has also had KS surgery and sacroiliac injections. Mine had a full year off work, then was lunged for 3 months to open the spine and so I have technically been riding him for 6 months but really it is more like 3 months.

Out of interest, did they think there was a problem with the sacroiliac? This is my TB's limiting factor and the reason why he doesn't jump anymore. We haven't even cantered yet (last canter was over 2 yrs ago) we have just been having set back after set back with his rehab so I have to start all over again (currently week 4 of 6 weeks walking). We had progressed to 20 mins trot work but he managed to get kicked twice and a massive abscess so this is the fourth go (apparently third time was not lucky).
 
Oh no sounds like you've had no luck at all! Hope the fourth time is the lucky one!

Knowing fred anything is possible with him and would not surprise me if the nerve has regrown. When I took him I went in mind with kissing spines, arthritis in the vertebrae or sacroiliac joint and I did mention this to the vet but again never really said anything back to me about that. I also mentioned he fell over on his side on the yard last year as something could have flared up from that maybe i.e. sacroilliac but again was just tossed aside really. Just everything I said never really got discussed hence the being treated like an idiot feeling.
 
Thanks - and sorry for slightly hijacking your thread.

Where are you based? TBH I would be looking for a new vet, but in the meantime do you have a good chiropractor that you can call to come out? I use a McTimony chiropractor and he is brilliant with my various invalids, but especially with the one with the SI issues; he has actually found the issues with my horses that most vets just ignore or look at me like I am mad (he recently diagnosed my horse with a virus leading to liver issues and when I called the vet to take bloods he thought I was crazy as horse looked fine but had to eat his words when the results came back positive).

Don't think you are alone with the "idiot" feeling. My other horse had issues under saddle and I took him to a "respected" vet who treated me like an imbecile and told me it was all in my head and that it was my riding. When I insisted on a bone scan he threatened me with "if nothing comes out of this scan, I will tell the insurers that there is nothing wrong with him and you will have to pay for it". Now, I am a corporate lawyer and have worked in the City for over 14 years and dealt with all types and never have I been spoken to so rudely in my life. Subsequently I took the horse to another vet who immediately saw the problem and managed to diagnose the condition. She is the only vet I will use now - very no nonsense and she actually gets on the horse to see what the problem is.
 
Normally we just see whichever vet we get given on the day. Interestingly the first vet that came out didn't see any lameness and we did a bute trial which didn't work. I'm based on the border of notts derby and Leicester. I've had Claire ellam see him once before I got the vet involved she does thermal imaging mctimoney and massage. She didn't find anything sinister. I am an equine body worker and know the muscles in his back are actually the best they have been in a while which is why I was so baffled.
 
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