Older horse

H

horseygemmi

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The horse I loan may need an op, she is 20 years old and a cob. I have been told that older horses have less chance of making it through the op. Is this true?
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What sort of op is it? If it was more than something very minor I wouldn't put my boy through it and he's only 16.
 
It's like humans. The risks increase as you get older. It also takes longer to heal.

Best to speak to the vet & find out all the pros & cons.
EG. Can it survive without it? What's the success rate? How long would it take before it's quality of life deteriorates? What's the aftercare? / would it be box rest for 6months?
 
Sunny had an eye removed when he was 19/20 and 3 yrs later he's doing fine and is one of the safest horse on our yard. Please, please don't write your mare off at 20! If 40 is the new 25 and 60 is the new 40 for humans (because of better nutrition and medical care) then something similar holds true for horses. Providing the horse is otherwise healthy then at 20 she should be fine. Is the surgery to flush the tendon sheath coz of infection? If so, my worry would be this should have been done immediately.
 
Cairo our old clydie had a GA for eye surgery as the age of 18 and 21 and was fine. Obviously it would depend on the surgery, but the vet was not concerned about a GA on him at 21 for the fairly short time to remove the eye cancer.

We decided to go for full GA and surgery again at 21 as he was fit and healthy and we hoped to have another three years of no cancer. Unfortunately this year he had liver failure and died, but it was totally unconnected to his surgery.
 
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