Persistent lameness suspensory

[Horsestudent2022]

Hello,

My horse is a 14 yo OTTB who was diagnosed with a suspensory ligament injury in April. At the time he had subtle lameness in the left hind but became really obvious after fetlock flexion, so much so that after the flexion he was basically 3 out of 5 lame. He had a tear in the medial branch of the suspensory and mild thickened of the lateral branch. We put him on stall rest and have been hand walking him and hand grazing him ever since. However he is still lame ! He has had PRP and shockwave. He is due for another ultrasound in two weeks but still lame. I have a video but I don’t know how to post it on here. He basically looks like he is putting minimal pressure on the left hind leg. Has anyone had a horse with this continued degree of lameness ?? I am going to have the vet do blocks to see if it’s just the suspensory or if there is lameness somewhere else in that leg

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[nutjob]

I've had 3 with suspensory issues, all have only been slightly lame. They do take a long time to repair but if yours is only putting minimal pressure on the leg after 6 months it sounds like something else is going on. Could he have an abscess if he's very lame.

 

[SEL]

Did they check hocks and SI? Mine showed significant improvement after they were treated.

 

[Horsestudent2022]

I've had 3 with suspensory issues, all have only been slightly lame. They do take a long time to repair but if yours is only putting minimal pressure on the leg after 6 months it sounds like something else is going on. Could he have an abscess if he's very lame.

He is fine at the walk. It’s at the trot that you can see the lameness. He hikes up that left hip and drags the hoof a little. This is how he presented initially with the injury but after so many months I would assume more dramatic improvement than what I’m seeing with him

 

[Horsestudent2022]

Did they check hocks and SI? Mine showed significant improvement after they were treated.

Vet check those during the initial diagnostic work up. He definitely had a tear in that medial branch, visible on ultrasound. He is due for another ultrasound in about 1.5 weeks and I’m thinking of asking her to do blocks to make sure it’s just the suspensory and not anything else . It’s a bit disheartening! He is such a sweet boy but has been on stall rest now for almost 7 months.