Joint surgery on yearling

[aimee8282]

I have had the vet out to see my yearling (he only turned 1 last Thursday!) because he had a swelling on the anterior side off fore fetlock joint. He straight away said xrays were needed as his gut reation was telling him OCD, so they were done yesterday and the vet noticed a site of damage in the area of swelling looks like a semi circle out of his bone. He advised that he would get a second opinion however he said that he was 99% sure that surgery would be the best option in order to flush joint and remove any bits of cartilage that don't show on xray. He's just called me and said 2nd opinion has again said surgery best option however he would like to do a scan to see what the surface of the bone is like so he is coming on Thursday to scan before referring him. I am freaking out. I know that surgery is probably the best option in the long run but it's just so quick, I feel like I haven't had anytime to process it. He hasn't even travelled before, so that will be a challenge on Saturday when he goes to the vet school. Has anyone had any experience of joint surgery? Any advice to keep me calm?

Thanks very much

 

[Amigo]

One of our yearlings came back from surgery on his hock about a month ago (chipped hock caused by overgrowth of bone that then cracks off) He has surgery to have it removed and to have the other leg checked too. He has been on box rest since and has just started going on the walker once a day. As can be expected he is very excited as a yearling to be out of his box when he has been in it for so long, and despite getting away from one of the grooms and galloping off (once onto the muck-heap) he is doing very well! His bandages came off after 2 or three weeks and you can hardly tell where the incisions were, but being on a constantly moving joint the bandages could be hard to keep on. We resorted to nappies over the bandages as they flexed with his leg and kept the bandage in place whilst allowing movement.
Best of luck with your yearling, I expect the vet knows whats the best option, so I hope that it all gos well for you! oh and think positive!

 

[CBFan]

My filly was just 9 months old when hers was diagnosed and a year and a bit when she was operated on. they are suprisngly accepting at that age and she just got on with it!

As said above, you should hardly notice the point of entry and it will be of huge benefit in the long run.

 

[riversideeu]

Try not to stress too much, my yearling filly had 2 chips removed from a very swollen hock as a yearling last year and is great now. They do cope very well with being in and then restricted turn out and it really is worth it, and she is now a very well handled youngster. She had both hocks checked and only one was a problem. We are very lucky that this operation is now quite routine, years ago it was not possible to sort this sort of problem out.