prognosis of a spiral fracture to radius?

StormyMoments

StormyMoments

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A friends horse spooked on the lunge the other night and then was no longer weight baring on his off fore. vet was called out and told her that he has all the signs of having a fracture so they x-rayed and found nothing. Did tests on his muscles and found nothing again. They have then said that they still suspect a fracture but they are thinking its a spiral fracture which sometimes take up to 3 weeks to show up on x-ray. They are coming back tomorrow to re x-ray and he has been left cross tied with a splint bandaged to his leg and a huge amount of pain killers.

If they do find its a spiral fracture of the radius what is the likely prognosis?

Hes a show jumper and up until now was jumping foxhunter bsja. Vets are keeping tight lipped about prognosis as they still dont know what has happened but they have said that they need to be prepared to make a very hard decision :(

anyone had any experience of a spiral fracture of the radius?
 
I've had experience and it wasn't positive, IF it is a spiral fracture there isn't usually enough solid undamaged bone to plate a repair, if its a hairline fracture prognosis is guarded. Laminitis in the opposite foot is the main problem, which is how our experience ended:( Let us know what the diagnosis is.
 
I'm not sure what a spiral fracture is - but my horse had a serious fracture to his radius 2 years ago. I'll post photos of his x ray pictures later. His fracture was 6 inches long and went from one side of his leg to the other (diagonally across)

He got better but it took 3 months cross tied at the vets, 4 months box rest after that before starting gradual turnout. A year later we started gentle work again. He is now in very light hacking work ( he is 19)

There were lots of possible issues we had to face in addition to the fracture; laminitis in the other foot, pneumonia due to being cross tied etc etc. he now is very stiff and struggles but he is still here.

It will be a very long road ahead for your friend. She can message me if she wants advice etc. ill post photos later. X
 
Friend's horse had a spiral fracture of her radius - she also developed laminitis in the opposite foot although I don't how much that was due to the veterinary hospital not doing what they said they would. The horse was sent home with a raging infection due to an exposed pedal bone being allowed to touch the floor. The fracture healed fine though.
 
My daughters horse had a spiral fracture from top to bottom of his Tibia 18 months ago after being kicked in the field. He was in horsepital for 7 weeks some of this cross tied then came home and had another 4 months box rest.
He then was walked in hand and then gradually started being ridden.
He was 21 when it happened so is never going to do more than gentle hacking
It is very hard work and takes a long time but all well worth it in the end.
Hope it all goes well for you
 
Mine is recovering (again) from a hairline fracture to his upper radius. He recovered once only to be kicked in the same spot with the same force 10 days later and went back onto box rest. It has taken a long time as we can't cross tie him as he is not a still calm horse and my vet agreed that if we cross tied him he'd break his neck trying to lark about.

He was xrayed after 2 weeks and fracture a showed up, he was re-xrayed 2 months later and a secondary fracture of a couple of inches long was then visible. He recovered, but is awaiting another check for fracture 2 at the end of the week. Vet said initially prognosis was good.

I know of someone who had a horse with a spiral fracture that did recover after 9 months box rest, but not sure of the location.

Fingers crossed its not worse case scenario :)
 
A spiral fracture is literally that, and it won't show up on the xray until the bone begins to heal and re-ossify and so will be denser on the radiograph. It depends a little on the horse - age, ability to be on box rest etc, but a broken leg bone in a hrose is never a good thing I'm afraid
 
My horse had a spiral fracture to his cannon bone about 18 months ago. As others have said, the fracture didn't show on X-ray until about 2 weeks had passed. He had been kicked and the wound was tiny, but he was 6/10 lame so the vet suspected a fracture and we cross-tied him as a precaution. He didn't need to go to hospital, just adapted his stable.

I was warned about laminitis so cut his feed to virtually nothing, and he simply had hay (tried soaking, but he hated it).

Anyway, 3 months on the cross-ties and a month's regular box rest with gradually increased hand walking, and he was ready for turnout with my very low key older horse. Another month and he was ready for gentle hacking. His bone healed 100% and he's as good as new.

I guess I was very lucky and I had no complications combined with a very compliant horse.

Just wanted to let you know there are good outcomes, so good luck!
 
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