Locking stifles /lameness

[ConnieBliss]

Hi all,

I have a 10 Yr old mare who in the last 2 - 3years has shown signs of lockinh stifles, last summer she was so bad it looks like her back end was collapsing. I tried hill work, pole work everything that people recommended, physio, holistic.. You name it I went there. Farrier was on board, vet was on board (took the second vet to diagnose locking patella)
We went for the surgery option due to her being so bad, which helped dramatically.
She is was no longer collapsing behind, she had the surgery at the end of last summer so I gave her the winter off as although work is advised she jist didn't seem to heal from the surgery as expected (still some lameness)
So back into work in January, walking everywhere, we are lucky there are lots of hills around here. She seemed to be locking again but more of a sticking than a full lock... Vet back and said she was lame elsewhere (not the stifle issue) cut short diagnosed arthritis in hocks so they were injected. She's now on day 8 of 2 weeks being walked out, today she feels worse again.... I jist don't know what else to do, vet is coming back in two weeks for a check up. Has anyone else got stories? Advice?.... Any life line? This horse is my pride and joy, I'm so worried this is her ridden career over.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[haejilnyeok]

I don't have any similar experiences to advise you but might be worth giving your vet a quick ring for advice? They know where you are with her recovery and should be able to help you until her check up. Generally with stiffness I'd normally advise keeping them out 24/7 to keep them moving but obviously she's in recovery from a surgery so that most likely isn't an option for her. Sorry I'm not much help x

 

[Goldenstar]

You do need to speak with your vet .
Managing horses with several issues is like peeling an onion every time you get one layer off there’s another .
Its extremely heartbreaking and many of us have been there .
I would get the vet to look at the horse again and perhaps ride when the vet is there

 

[ConnieBliss]

Thankyou. Yes vet is due out again in two weeks, I'm going to wait that time frame out just incase there's a miracle and she starts to show a significant improvement.

 

[ConnieBliss]

I don't have any similar experiences to advise you but might be worth giving your vet a quick ring for advice? They know where you are with her recovery and should be able to help you until her check up. Generally with stiffness I'd normally advise keeping them out 24/7 to keep them moving but obviously she's in recovery from a surgery so that most likely isn't an option for her. Sorry I'm not much help x

Thankyou for your reply, she is out 2477 as the surgery was last year, she had her hocks injected 12 days ago so is out again now.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

We had lameness issues with one of our horses & after examining the horse our vet found that he had lameness in one of his canon joints. He checked the joint fluid & saw that it was like water & had little or no viscosity so he medicated it by injection. He also did his hocks at the same time. Since that was done he's like a new horse. He goes back to the vet every 12 months or so & his canon joint gets medicated again. This started a few years ago & it hass worked every time. However, the vet did warn us on the initial examination that it doesn't work for all horses. It did with ours & vet is very happy with the out come but possibly your horse may not be as lucky. I hope you manage to get things sorted.

 

[ConnieBliss]

We had lameness issues with one of our horses & after examining the horse our vet found that he had lameness in one of his canon joints. He checked the joint fluid & saw that it was like water & had little or no viscosity so he medicated it by injection. He also did his hocks at the same time. Since that was done he's like a new horse. He goes back to the vet every 12 months or so & his canon joint gets medicated again. This started a few years ago & it hass worked every time. However, the vet did warn us on the initial examination that it doesn't work for all horses. It did with ours & vet is very happy with the out come but possibly your horse may not be as lucky. I hope you manage to get things sorted.

Thankyou for your reply, I am so pleased it made a difference for your horse.. That must have been a relief!

I walked my horse out today in hand and her stifles are sticking so badly within the space of 30 minutes it must of happened about 6 times. So frustrating..