INTERNAL SCAR TISSUE

[bigbess]

HELP!!!!

Has anybody had any success in reducing scar tissue that has developed internally post operative. My mare has developed acute scar tissue after an Annular Ligament Dysmotomy? I have started to use MSM in the hope that this will help but I am not sure if it will, my vet says that nothing will help her and that it is just unfortunate. She had the operation in April and had several problems relating to the surgery, which we have overcome. The scar tissue is making her very lame, she is on Danolin once a day plus NoBute (vets instructions) and MSM and seems to be going sound at the moment but she is still uncomfortable and grumpy (very out of character).

I would appreciate any help in this matter

.

 

[spaniel]

You need to talk to your vet or possibly an equine physio about this. I have a feeling all you can do to break down this tissue is to keep it moving but if its been forming for some time that may not work.

Seek professional guidance on this one.

 

[star]

i think it is a case of working them on bute to try and break down the scar tissue. i think H's mum had this problem with H. My horse had the annular ligament desmotomy in august on both his back legs and so far seems to be doing ok. The 1st couple of times he cantered he really hitched his legs up like there was something tight, but it all seems to have loosened off ok now. I'm paranoid he's going to break again though. We've already come through bad suspensory disease 4yrs ago, and now this and he's now nearly 21. What other problems post-op have you had, if you dont mind me asking.

 

[Patches]

Not sure if it's the same thing but my horse had adhesions that formed around her carpal tendon after a tendon flush in February. She was very grumpy and would rear if you tried to pick her foot up as the pain in her knee with the adhesions was clearly very significant (although she is a bit of a wuss anyway). She was also "dog lame" - vets comments on seeing her walk and trot. She was almost non weight bearing after he had attempted to hold her foot up for a flexion.

When the tendon was scanned, it was plainly obvious that it had stuck to the surrounding tissue. It's a very common post-operative complication of any surgery on, or in close proximity to a tendon/ligament.

She was prescribed a long course of bute (starting at 2 sachets, twice a day) for the first month. She was walked in-hand twice daily for 10 minutes for the first two weeks and then ridden (in walk only) for about 30 - 40 minutes for a month. After that I had to introduce trot work and indeed canter work, making sure she was well warmed up before any fast work commenced. I did a fun ride, lots of hacking and some schooling when the ground dried up (I don't have a manège at home). As she began to look sound I then had to wean her off the bute slowly.

Nearly 10 months later, she's sound but I had to ride her every day, come rain, wind, snow, hail and shine.

 

[TequilaMist]

Similiar to Patches my mare had adhesions after op on lower leg for different reason,hair had traveled down from a wound and they had to cut out a wee bit of lower part of tendon as hair had embedded in it and infection had set in.Fraid to say she never went totally sound.Would get her sound,start work 2 weeks later she would be unsound but not hoping lame .Vet said friction of movement caused the adhesionS to cause further adhesions and would need to be on bute for life if being ridden.He said this can happen after ops.Ultra sound or anything else was not suggested.As he is a really good vet presumed it wasn't suitable in her case.Mare is no longer with us BUT not for that reason.Sorry couldn't be more help or positive.

 

[bigbess]

Hi, The other problems she had were paralysis of the lower muzzle and a very large lump on her tongue, no reasons were given for these problems. We nearly lost her because she couldn't eat any forage, grass or hard feed due to her lips getting in the way but luckily someone suggested simple feeds which we fed really moist and she slurped it and I really put this feed as saving her life. Getting back to her scar tissue the vet found it when he scanned her and was very dissapointed in how much there was. She is turned out on fairly good grazing from 5.00 am to 4.30 pm, I am hoping I can do this all through winter so she gets plenty of exercise. I am now noticing that her bedding is very disturbed, with bald patches in the middle (she has a deep bed) and I am now thinking that she may have trouble getting up. This last week she has gone off her hard feed, I think this is due to the medication which she hates taking. Thank you for your help I was told to ride her in walk but she is not the type to walk whilst being ridden, she jogs, so we are long reining her but can't do it every day as she goes dog lame if we do.

 

[jomiln]

We got rid of some scar tissue on a tendon by turnout and also controlled exercise (walker), physio came to do laser & ultrasound and also hydrotherapy spa sessions. With all this combined we were able to reduce the scar tissue to virtually nothing - these is still a small amount but nothing that will stop the horse having a useful life.