lily update - lameness workup

[dottylottie]

not entirely sure if anyone is interested, but i thought it could be helpful for anyone in the future who comes across this thread

so she’s been in for her lameness workup, the vet said she was lame behind on both legs, but the right was worse than the left. she was a monumental pain in the behind and had to be heavily sedated, so they only nerve blocked the right and said it was probably safe to assume the left was also a bit of a problem. because of how touchy she was, they went straight for the stifle and we’re correct.

2/3 tenths lame on the right after flexion test, completely sound on the right but lame on the left after the nerve block.

x-rays we’re relatively good, some minor abnormalities but nothing that should actually be causing a problem - ultrasounds we’re another matter. will try to attach the ultrasound images.

so, the main cause of her issues is the medial meniscus in her right stifle, but she’s also done some damage to i *think* her medial patellar ligament on that leg. medial meniscus on her left stifle isn’t perfect, but the right is much worse.

treatment wise, she’s having stem cell treatment for the right leg, and cartrophen to help the other 2 problem areas.

rehab wise, she’s on box rest with 8 weeks of inhand walking, then weeks 9-24 ridden, with follow up scans to check how it’s doing before moving to the next step.

because she’d had 2 weeks off ridden work before she showed any lameness, and only been turned out in the school, i can only assume the damage is in fact from the kick she received that i initially thought couldn’t have done any damage - vet said it being from a kick would be the better scenario, as the alternative is her simply being particularly fragile

he was very honest that the prognosis is usually 50-60%, but he feels her chances are higher than that. he would guess that the tear is a grade 1, but can’t be certain without doing the surgery to actually check which we both agreed was a bit pointless. the good news is that he said providing it does heal, there’ll be no limitations and she can still jump etc and do what i bought her to do.

definitely going to be a long process and i’m under no illusion about the chances of it not healing (i’ve looked at the other threads lol!), but the vet definitely doesn’t feel it’s the end of the road for her, and atm i’ll be happy to get her field sound.

first photo is the right medial meniscus, 2nd is the right ligament and 3rd is left medial meniscus

 

[Barton Bounty]

Aghhhh I was hoping for a better outcome than that although that is not the worst! I knew it could be from the kick! Its the only thing when we chatted. Im glad it has a good healing rate though, that is positive

 

[dottylottie]

Aghhhh I was hoping for a better outcome than that although that is not the worst! I knew it could be from the kick! Its the only thing when we chatted. Im glad it has a good healing rate though, that is positive

i was also hoping for a better outcome, but thinking on the bright side everything else i’d been thinking it could be would’ve put restrictions on her should she come sound, now we’ve just got to hope her body puts the work in and heals itself!

 

[JBM]

Hoping for the best lily is a tough cookie I believe in her

 

[Barton Bounty]

Me too… I think she will be fine with the time to heal

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

i was also hoping for a better outcome, but thinking on the bright side everything else i’d been thinking it could be would’ve put restrictions on her should she come sound, now we’ve just got to hope her body puts the work in and heals itself!

It's not too bad lesions do generally heal it just takes time.

My Arabi had quite a hole in his suspensory had 6 months box rest and prp and it was completely healed and was sound, he did it when he was 12 his 19 now and he went lame behind last year had some further damage to both suspensories and slight hock arthritis, he had laser, gel and steroid and is sound now.

 

[dottylottie]

It's not too bad lesions do generally heal it just takes time.

My Arabi had quite a hole in his suspensory had 6 months box rest and prp and it was completely healed and was sound, he did it when he was 12 his 19 now and he went lame behind last year had some further damage to both suspensories and slight hock arthritis, he had laser, gel and steroid and is sound now.

thankyou, it’s nice to hear a success story!

 

[Barton Bounty]

thankyou, it’s nice to hear a success story!

Think positive! She will come good! I have a good feeling

 

[toppedoff]

Hope all goes well, thank you for the update also!!! Those images are super interesting

 

[dreamcometrue]

I’ve got the exact same diagnosis with my mare last year. Right stifle medial meniscus tear. She is 17 so the prognosis was guarded. My mare did the injury when she was loose in the sand school running up and down and doing barrel-racing type turns.

Sadly she hasn’t healed completely after a year of rest but she has good days where you can’t tell she is lame in a trot up and bad days when she has been running about with the herd and is a bit stiff.

I have just been given the go-ahead by the vet to hack her in walk on her good days. I’ll take that because it will do us both good.

I hope you get a good outcome OP. X

 

[Bionic Boy]

Never give up hope. My old boy broke his elbow, plate and screws later he came back remarkably well and capable of everything we done before he broke it.
It just took a very long time

 

[Britestar]

Look into Indiba treatment.

Cob here had meniscal tear, had surgery, given 6-10% chance of coming back to work.

Box rest, restricted turnout, indiba treatments as an extra. Built up to being back in with his friends.
10 months later told to start riding him. 6 months walking hacks.

It will be 3 years in September since his surgery. He back doing everything he was before. He doesn't jump now, riders choice but he's as bats**t mental as he ever was!