Hind suspensory ligament surgery - any experiences?

Thank you - will get reading and try to get into a more positive mindset. Having had so much go wrong with her this year i'm finding it hard to see a positive outcome but at least the surgery gives her a shot :(
 
I'm getting myself in a right state about this now - just don't know what to do. Heart says she's my first ever and I would be gutted for the ridden partnership to end now and I should give it a shot, and there's a chance of a good outcome. Head is saying, that she's had so much time off this year and still isn't right that the outcome of that probably won't change. Spent all week thinking about it and just going round and round and round in my head and every new bit of info I get sways me one way and then the next bit sways me back again. Burst into tears when I saw her today, just want her back how she should be :(:(:(
 
D'sMum said:
Thank you - will get reading and try to get into a more positive mindset. Having had so much go wrong with her this year i'm finding it hard to see a positive outcome but at least the surgery gives her a shot :(
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Poor you, it's so difficult knowing what to do for the best. What other issues have you had with her this year?
 
She got kicked in the field really badly, on her hind leg above the pastern, went right down to the tendon so 6 weeks in, 2 weeks walking in hand, still v lame so had an ultrasound which showed no tendon damage (thankfully), she was turned out and ridden (in walk), still didn't come right, had x rays which showed arthritis in her hock so had steroid injections for that which brought her right for a short time (the vet thinks that as the hock and suspensory are so close that apparently some of the medication sort of diffuses across).

Then a couple of months ago she started struggling to pick up the correct canter lead and I ignored my instinct and thought it was just my rubbish riding, she then threw in some massive bucks when I asked her to canter out hacking - totally unlike her and when I lunged her her legs just look like they're all doing their own thing in canter, as the vet said 'it just looks horrible' - she can't bring her hind leg underneath her properly. She's obviously getting worse as she isn't a bucker, and think she just couldn't take the pain of the legs with my lardy arse sat on top.

I'd made the decision to go for the surgery and was chatting to my instructor last night who confused me - her horse had it, he's never come right and she thinks it's a waste of time. Said she's only ever known one come right from it and that was a 4 year old and I should retire her and get something else. Think is, she's my first that i've owned (shared previously) and I'd be gutted to think that part of our partnership is over now, i've not even had her for 2 years yet and she's perfect for me and I love her to pieces. Just wondering if i'm wasting my time and energy but on the other hand if it makes her comfortable even for a short while surely its worth it? :confused:
 
Hi all,
I've been told by my vet today that operation is our only option. My boy is only 5 I'm devestated!
I'm relly keen to hear how you have all got on since your posts/making the decision to go ahead. Should I go for it?

Any help and advice would be great x
 
Waltzing Matilda said:
Inhad snow ex racer that had had surgery. No one could get home sound so he was given to me as a project. As it turned oUt my vet had.originally treated him so I also got s full history from start of issues. He had Box rest and shockwave therapy first which didn't work.
What I actuallying found out was he had a.long standing and undiagnosed rotated pelvis and damaged sacrilliac joint. Maybe if this had been delt with first then it would have resolved the ligament problem.

He came sound after treatment. But he then had other digestive/metabolic issues :-(
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Just wondering what treatment he had for the rotated pelvis? slightly worried my boy may have a problem - thoughts appreciated
 
My daughters pony had / has PSD in all four legs, but worse in the hinds, he was only 7 when diagnosed ( he's 11 now) . His prognosis for hinds was poor (better for fronts) he had two lots x 4 shockwave and box rest, and we worked our way through two lots of vet practices as the first vets wrote him off. He has been hacking sound for 4 years now, and it was a combination of bar shoes and Adequan that made the difference in the end (he's barefoot now) however, we don't do anything other than hack, and no small circles or jumping.

He was deemed unsuitable for surgery as his PSD was not just proximal but in the mid region of one suspensory also.

However, with the neurectomy and fasciotomy, I would advise caution, this surgery does not cure the damaged suspensory, it is damage limitation only. The cutting of the fascia (fasciotomy) enables the suspensory to have room to enlarge - which it does when it is chronically injured and trying to repair itself, so this in effect gives it the room it needs so avoiding a compartment syndrome. However, the the suspensory is still compromised, and if there is a lot of scar tissue this will seriously hinder the suspensory's elastic ability, thereby predisposing to further injury. The neurectomy just cuts the nerve so that the horse cant feel the discomfort.

I would approach surgery with caution, if your horse has become chronically injured and has PSD now then how you use him after the surgery will need to change as he may break down otherwise. There are some factors that predispose to PSD, some include straight hock conformation, poor foot balance, over use of arena's that maybe too soft or uneven, overtraining beyond a horses fitness.

I think stem cell is a popular option now - if you haven't spend up on insurance Adequan can also help as it can help the suspensory fibres to line up in a more regular fashion (as opposed to damaging haphazard way that scar tissues develop)

Good luck
 
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