Navicular bursars and DDFT Surgery experience?

[sassyequine]

So the story with my 4 yr old warmblood Izzy continues.....

MRI at newmarket showed damage to the soft tissue surrounding her navicular bursars and to the deep digital flexor tendon in the left fore, collapsed heels and still lame. She had intra - navicular bursar medication and came home. We reassessed her Friday and she is still lame - no response to the treatment and am totally gutted. So now we are giving her 3 months off turned out (although not away) and will reassess in October. Given she has been off and lame 7 months it has low odds for improvment.
If she is still lame my options are to give her a year off and hope she grows through it or to opt for navicular bursar surgery. I know from Newmarket that this is high risk, newish and fairly unknown results so I am very cautious about it. I would love to hear from anyone who has experienced this and how it went for them?
Thanks

 

[wjgfred]

Hi,

My horse has recently been diagnosed with a very similar injury to yours. I cannot actually help you with the surgery as this was not given to me as an option following the MRI.

However my horse was treated with 4 x weekly injections of cartrophen and came sound after week 3. He has remained sound and is now in month 2 of 12 months field rest (not turned away). He is a also being shod with heel wedges to take the pressure off the DDFT. When I say he is sound, this is in walk and trot in a straight line and untested in anything else.

He will be going for review the first week of august when the vet said we will check him on lunge on hard surface.

I am not sure and it may be that you have already tried this, (cartrophen) but just thought it may be worth mentioning as another option for you to check with vets.

Feel free to PM me if you want any further information.

 

[hellybelly6]

My horse was on 3 legs and in a lot of pain. Hed went to the Glasgow vet school and had the usual nerve blocks, x-rays and ultrasound and it turned out he had a DDFT problem.

They recommended a tenoscopy to see what was going on. Despite my concerns about anaesthesia, I knew I had to help Jake, he could not continue as he was.

I bit the bullet and the following day Jake had his surgery. They were the worst hours of my life - waiting for the vet to call to say he had come through.

It turned out that Jake had a large longitudinal split in the DDFT and had macerated his manicuff flexor something (the band of tissue which surrounds the fetlock joint). I was relieved he was ok, but concerned about the findings.

They had cleaned up his split and tears (debridement) and said that he may be comfortable enough to wander around the field. Not the best news, but at least I wasnt going to loose him.

He went home and I removed the stitches after 10 days (I work in a hospital). He had walks out in hand for 6 weeks x 2 a day from 10 minutes increasing to half an hour, he then had limited turnout which was gradually built up.

He returned after about 8 weeks and had an ultrasound and although not sound, he was sound enough to be discharged.

I started slow riding him in walk, increased his t/o and after 14 months we were hacking out as before and this was a horse who was not thought to be comfortable in a field!

I gave Jake windgall and tendoneaze for 14 months which I believe helped. So a tendon injury can be overcome.

I cant advise you with regard to the navicular surgery, but when the time comes, you will know what is best for you and your horse.

I wish you all the best. x

 

[wjgfred]

Thank you Hb6 you have also given me some hope !!