possible tendon injury in arthritic horse

[noblesteed]

Hi all,
After a year of rehab after a diagnosis of bone spavin in both hocks my gelding now appears to have injured a tendon sheath Over the past year he's had steroid injections in his hocks and remedial shoeing which has turned him into a 'new' horse - albeit just a happy hacker these days. He's been happy, lively and pain-free all winter and even started jumping a few logs while out and about. However I hacked him out Friday morning, warmed up nicely and had a little canter in our usual canter spot. He pulled up sharp and had to hobble home. I got the vet out immediately thinking it must be hock related as it's his right hind. Vet is convinced it is one of 3 problems - bad bruise, broken pedal bone or tendon sheath injury.
After 3 days in the box the foot is now the same temperature as the other 3 so I am assuming that rules out the first 2 options which leaves a big fat swollen tendon sheath He's not taking a lot of weight on it though with bute he's still feeling it when he moves about.

Beastie is insured however having just paid out for spavin I am not convinced insurance will cover hind legs again.

The most worrying option to me though is that box rest will not be suitable for my gelding as his arthritic hocks will degenerate. Vet pretty much said the same thing. So I wonder if anyone has experience of such issues? Is it possible to rehabilitate a tendon without box rest?

 

[touchstone]

Yes it is possible, I did it with my mare. I made a small turnout area in front of the stable initially and gradually increased the size, the only downside is that it may well take longer to heal. I'd also use as little pain relief as possible once out so that the horse isn't inclined to overdo things.

 

[noblesteed]

Thanks touchstone. I can see how that would work, and the pain relief idea is probably a good one. Hopefully he can eventually go in the small paddock which is right beside a group of holiday homes so he will get plenty of attention and fuss!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi all,
After a year of rehab after a diagnosis of bone spavin in both hocks my gelding now appears to have injured a tendon sheath Over the past year he's had steroid injections in his hocks and remedial shoeing which has turned him into a 'new' horse - albeit just a happy hacker these days. He's been happy, lively and pain-free all winter and even started jumping a few logs while out and about. However I hacked him out Friday morning, warmed up nicely and had a little canter in our usual canter spot. He pulled up sharp and had to hobble home. I got the vet out immediately thinking it must be hock related as it's his right hind. Vet is convinced it is one of 3 problems - bad bruise, broken pedal bone or tendon sheath injury.
After 3 days in the box the foot is now the same temperature as the other 3 so I am assuming that rules out the first 2 options which leaves a big fat swollen tendon sheath He's not taking a lot of weight on it though with bute he's still feeling it when he moves about.

Beastie is insured however having just paid out for spavin I am not convinced insurance will cover hind legs again.

The most worrying option to me though is that box rest will not be suitable for my gelding as his arthritic hocks will degenerate. Vet pretty much said the same thing. So I wonder if anyone has experience of such issues? Is it possible to rehabilitate a tendon without box rest?

I have been fighting a tendon sheath injury for a year and a half and still am. Still not in any work, keeps going pear shaped, we have had steroids in the sheath 3 times, off work and when in work not past 1 hr hack an 3 x 1 minute trots is as far as we got.

I am using leg ice- cold wraps- ice boots- cold hosing. Once they are gone it is very hard to get them back ( injury depending)

 

[touchstone]

Just to add that I gave up hope of trying to bring back into work as the same thing happened, lameness returning when worked again. I decided to retire my mare and after two years in total she came sound and I brought her back into work slowly, she remained sound and in full work afterwards for several years.

Unfortunately she has recently gone lame again (different leg) but at 22 retirement is probably the way forwards now, I'm gutted.

 

[Birker2020]

Beastie is insured however having just paid out for spavin I am not convinced insurance will cover hind legs again.

The most worrying option to me though is that box rest will not be suitable for my gelding as his arthritic hocks will degenerate. Vet pretty much said the same thing. So I wonder if anyone has experience of such issues? Is it possible to rehabilitate a tendon without box rest?

Hi I am going through the same sort of thing with my horse, he has a slight sprain of the suspensory branch on a hind leg. He has arthritis and he had fusion with ethanol. He also has suffered from repeated bouts of colic in the past, and needs to keep moving around, so box rest is the worse thing for him. Vet has agreed and said he must go out, although in his case he can be ridden in walk also for a month to start with.

Yes it is possible to rehab a tendon issue without box rest but you need to think 'small'. Is there anyway of making a very small paddock for your horse out of electric fencing in your existing field/paddock? Mine is in a 'sandpit' which is an area of sand over subsoil with a fence around it and electric fence splitting it in two so two horses can go out together at the same time. He can roll and have a little buck and far* if he wants but he won't do any damage by running around in it. We tend to leave a hay net out for them to eat whilst in there.

The insurance will pay out for both, speaking from experience mine paid out for both spavin and tendon sheath problem I had many years ago. They are different problems, and they cannot exclude a leg with spavin from other problems within that leg that are not as a direct result. My horses tendon sheath was helped with box rest initially and then turn out and an injection of adequan into the tendon sheath (from what I remember). in those days he could stay in on box rest.

Have you iced the leg? THis is the first thing that you should do, the first 48 -72 hours are very important with a tendon injury and ice therapy has been shown to improve repair as it aligns the fibres within the tendon. You could make some ice cups (fill polystyrene cups with water and freeze) and take a cup and open end put on the area and move slowly in a circular motion for 20 mins twice a day. Or buy some ice boots and keep them frozen in your freezer for use in an emergency, 20 mins twice a day again is ideal. I tend to ice cup, ice boots, cold hose, and bandage. I also give an anti inflammatory from the vet (bute) as this is really useful.