ocd in stifle

[LadySherry]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any experience they can share on the subject of OCD in the stifle joint. My mare has just been diagnosed and is due to undergo surgery but I was interested to hear other people experiences on the same condition. Thanks

 

[zizz]

Mine was not a good experience in afraid, I had a very large yearling operated on 50% chance, gave him until he was 4 to come right as we were hopeful that once in work he could build enough muscle to support the joint, but it was not to be and he was put down that summer. His was caused by growing too big too quickly, he was a good 17.2 at 4

 

[JanetGeorge]

Fortunately, mine was a better experience - although the filly concerned was aimed for my breeding herd. She's had 6 great foals and is fit as a flea. I should add that OCD is NOT hereditary IMHO - don't know what the current theory is - but Dawn's mother was an old girl who wan't doing well (she was bottom of the pecking order.) So I seperated her and her foal with extra feed - bang! OCD - as Portia let her own foal drive her off the food!

 

[HelenS]

Twenty odd years ago now, but my mare grew too quickly and was diagnosed with OCD. She was only two at the time. I was told by a very eminent vet to turn her out over winter with no rugs and no hard feed but she could have hay and shelter, which I did, but wasn't totally comfortable doing at the time. My insurance company put the usual exclusion on the policy. At that time it was not common for an operation to be carried out on OCD, or at least it was never suggested to me at the time.

At 3 years old I had her re-xrayed, and there was no sign that she had ever had it, to the point that the insurance company actually lifted the exclusion from the policy. She became an advanced dressage horse, bred me a fantastic colt at 16, and lived until she was 18, when sadly suspensory ligament problems got her.

 

[Amicus]

Fortunately, mine was a better experience - although the filly concerned was aimed for my breeding herd. She's had 6 great foals and is fit as a flea. I should add that OCD is NOT hereditary IMHO - don't know what the current theory is - but Dawn's mother was an old girl who wan't doing well (she was bottom of the pecking order.) So I seperated her and her foal with extra feed - bang! OCD - as Portia let her own foal drive her off the food!

Was told by a very solid and high up vet that current thinking is that there is a genetic tendency (warmbloods predisposed, rare in ponies, certain blood lines etc) towards it with the right diet during gestation and in the first year you can guaranty they won't get it, some feed company did some quite extensive trials. (Attempted to find the paper to justify this but haven't been able to as yet)

 

[LadySherry]

Interesting, thanks for your replies. My mare is 11 so I guess it's developed through wear and tear as she's been sound and a successful competition horse up until recently. I'm hoping the surgery will give her a new lease of life! I didn't realise it was quite so common in youngsters? It's not a condition I've dealt with before so never researched it

 

[coffeeandabagel]

Resurrecting this thread to see how your mare got on LadySherry? My 7 year old had chips removed on Tuesday and comes home tomorrow.

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Resurrecting this thread to see how your mare got on LadySherry? My 7 year old had chips removed on Tuesday and comes home tomorrow.

Resurrecting again!! How did your horse get on coffeandabagel?
anyone else with experience of surgery?

 

[coffeeandabagel]

Well its not been a complete success to be honest. She remained slightly lame behind on the worst side - the near side. However she also came up pretty lame on the off fore leg - blocked to fetlock. She has never had a problem in front before and also her ulcers are back. All in all she was a rather unhappy horse except when she was turned out so I have had the fetlock medicated and it showed enough improvement to let me turn her away for the winter. She is in a big mixed herd in a valley so she gets equine company and constant movement on the nice hills. Hopefully come spring I will bring her back slowly (again) and she will be sound enough to at least hack and calm enough to make a good prospect for a sharer. Who knows about more!

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Well its not been a complete success to be honest. She remained slightly lame behind on the worst side - the near side. However she also came up pretty lame on the off fore leg - blocked to fetlock. She has never had a problem in front before and also her ulcers are back. All in all she was a rather unhappy horse except when she was turned out so I have had the fetlock medicated and it showed enough improvement to let me turn her away for the winter. She is in a big mixed herd in a valley so she gets equine company and constant movement on the nice hills. Hopefully come spring I will bring her back slowly (again) and she will be sound enough to at least hack and calm enough to make a good prospect for a sharer. Who knows about more!

sorry to hear that, hope she comes right after time off.