Is this normal for a tendon injury?

[leflynn]

My boy got diagnosed with a SDFT and check ligament injury 2 weeks ago. Tendon was bowed, thickend and hot and had the usual pain responses, thanks to him hooning about in the field....

He was cold water booted for several days and had danilon (doesn't do bute) and has been on box rest. (he was caught broncing in his stable a few times ) He has also had magentic boots on overnight for the last week and a bit.

Quick q as I'm not au fait with tendon injuries (or not yet), his tendon had gone back to normal with no swelling the morning after the vet had been out and it has remained that way ever since. No bowing, thickening, seemingly no pain now he is off the danilon. Both legs seem identical as before, he did his left fore).

I didn't expect this and wanted to check that this would be part of the normal healing process or should I get my hopes up it's not a tendon injury or a very mild one? It hasn't been scanned yet so can't check from that, vet due out again in the next day or so.

Thanks in advance as I'm doing no work trying to see if this is usual....

 

[sarahhowen]

Hi Leflynn,

Tendons are a horrible thing to have to rehab and sadly the only way you can tell if they are healing is on an U/S.

Is you vet coming out to scan the leg or is the vet just trying to go from feel alone?

You really need to ensure that the tendon is fully healed before you put him in a situation where he can potentially reinjure it, Lots of hacking (walking) on the roads as well once he is back in work to really work on strengthening that tendon and ensuring that he is not going to reinjure.

Best of luck - I do hope he heals quickly, My chappie is on box rest at the moment and I know just how frustrating it is for both the horse and the owner!!

 

[leflynn]

He's out tonight for a check/feel and then I'll book him for a scan based on his thoughts from that.
I am now spending my days reading up on tendons *sigh* Another summer out of work for us, we have no luck

Thanks SH

 

[Miss L Toe]

The best thing is to assume the worst, in spite of outward appearances, ask about support bandaging, but be careful not to damage the legs further.
Make sure you knock off hard feed, I feed Dengie non molassed chaff with some minerals and if I were you, I would supplement with a calmer.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Assume the worst and dont believe the prgnosis your given, I was told my mare would come back to full work and be doing pretty much what we were doing before as ours wasnt that bad an injury, Then at her last scan it was the head practice vet and he asked what I was going to be doing with the horse, I told him and he was horrified and told me hacking and low level flatwork would be her limit

Mines was boxrested for 3/4 months then inhand walked for 2 months before hacking in walk only started and turnout and she was sound, you could see the thickened leg and she was looking her normal self

I know mines probably wast the norm but I had my hopes built up that she would be fine only to be told she wouldnt be.

 

[leflynn]

I haven't asked what the outcome will be yet, I try not to however hard it might be! Sorry it didn't come good for you

Miss L Toe - he's still on hard feed as he'll drop weight while on box rest and bar once incident of bucking in his stable he's being very quiet and chilled so I think it's a bit soon for a calmer He's only on alpha a and high fibre cubes so nothing heating.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I haven't asked what the outcome will be yet, I try not to however hard it might be! Sorry it didn't come good for you

Miss L Toe - he's still on hard feed as he'll drop weight while on box rest and bar once incident of bucking in his stable he's being very quiet and chilled so I think it's a bit soon for a calmer He's only on alpha a and high fibre cubes so nothing heating.

I use Feedmark steady up which has probiotics and magnesium, it takes ten days to kick in, it is difficult to ask some horses to walk out quietly after box-rest.

 

[leflynn]

I use Feedmark steady up which has probiotics and magnesium, it takes ten days to kick in, it is difficult to ask some horses to walk out quietly after box-rest.

I know I'll have more trouble making him walk and not graze He was on box rest for several months last summer and was a good lad so I'm hoping for the same again, first time he got turned out, he rolled then grazed - very uneventful!!