Proximal suspensory desmitis

[Kuli]

I am wondering if anyone here have experience with or run into a horse with proximal suspensory desmitis? Sadly the vets think my horse has it on the left or both front limbs Scheduled for a x-ray and ultrasound next week to confirm. The odd thing about her is that she is only lame on a circle on hard ground and when the lame leg is on the inside of the circle. That's the opposite of what I have read is normal for this type of injury. Normally they are lame on soft ground and when the lame leg is on the outside of the circle. 100% sound on a straight line and on soft ground.

We have nerve blocked her leg so we know the injury is located somewhere around this area, but there could be something else even though the vets think it is proximal suspensory desmitis?

The next thing I am worried about is the box rest that is required to heal this type of injury. Vets say 3 months of box rest with hand walking everyday. But I have read about people putting their horse out in the field and rest for a year or two, and when they start working it again the horse is totally fine. Is this a common thing to do because I would rather do that. Or am I putting my horse at risk with doing that and causing the injury to never heal?

Would highly appreciate every comment related to this injury!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My ex racer had it in both hinds. Barely lame. 3 months box rest made no difference. We then did more box rest and gentle rehab. Unfortunately he was pts. If it happened again I would most definitely turnout as I don't think the stress of box rest helped him at all.

 

[RachelFerd]

I am wondering if anyone here have experience with or run into a horse with proximal suspensory desmitis? Sadly the vets think my horse has it on the left or both front limbs Scheduled for a x-ray and ultrasound next week to confirm. The odd thing about her is that she is only lame on a circle on hard ground and when the lame leg is on the inside of the circle. That's the opposite of what I have read is normal for this type of injury. Normally they are lame on soft ground and when the lame leg is on the outside of the circle. 100% sound on a straight line and on soft ground.

We have nerve blocked her leg so we know the injury is located somewhere around this area, but there could be something else even though the vets think it is proximal suspensory desmitis?

The next thing I am worried about is the box rest that is required to heal this type of injury. Vets say 3 months of box rest with hand walking everyday. But I have read about people putting their horse out in the field and rest for a year or two, and when they start working it again the horse is totally fine. Is this a common thing to do because I would rather do that. Or am I putting my horse at risk with doing that and causing the injury to never heal?

Would highly appreciate every comment related to this injury!

I had a horse with PSD in a forelimb - he was turned away for a year and came back well.

 

[Laafet]

I am wondering if anyone here have experience with or run into a horse with proximal suspensory desmitis? Sadly the vets think my horse has it on the left or both front limbs Scheduled for a x-ray and ultrasound next week to confirm. The odd thing about her is that she is only lame on a circle on hard ground and when the lame leg is on the inside of the circle. That's the opposite of what I have read is normal for this type of injury. Normally they are lame on soft ground and when the lame leg is on the outside of the circle. 100% sound on a straight line and on soft ground.

We have nerve blocked her leg so we know the injury is located somewhere around this area, but there could be something else even though the vets think it is proximal suspensory desmitis?

The next thing I am worried about is the box rest that is required to heal this type of injury. Vets say 3 months of box rest with hand walking everyday. But I have read about people putting their horse out in the field and rest for a year or two, and when they start working it again the horse is totally fine. Is this a common thing to do because I would rather do that. Or am I putting my horse at risk with doing that and causing the injury to never heal?

Would highly appreciate every comment related to this injury!

I've have two with hind limb PSD and one with front limb - IMO the front limb one is easier to treat. That horse was 7 years old at the time, had a course of shock wave and rest. Came sound and is still going at 20 years old, having hunted extensively since.

 

[scats]

My little bay mare has it in the right hind. I didn’t do the box rest thing. She had a year off and then came back into work very slowly over 2 years.
We don’t canter but she is sound is trot and doing half an hour work about 5 days a week now.

 

[Bellaboo18]

My experience is with hind psd but we had a very successful outcome after the op. My understanding is forelimb is easier to treat.

The Facebook 'psd discussion group' is a really supportive place.

 

[Kuli]

Thank you for all replies!!

Another question: Has anyone put their horse in foal with this injury? Some say it is genetic and the mare can pass it on to her offsprings if the injury is chronic? How do I know if it's chronic or if she got it from an injury?

 

[scats]

Thank you for all replies!!

Another question: Has anyone put their horse in foal with this injury? Some say it is genetic and the mare can pass it on to her offsprings if the injury is chronic? How do I know if it's chronic or if she got it from an injury?

Vets were fairly sure that Polly’s was caused by an injury (same leg that was hit by the prong of a tractor and caused fairly substantial damage down to the bone). Left hind shows no signs of it on scan. I did consider putting her in foal, but decided I didn’t want to risk losing her if anything went wrong.

 

[nutjob]

Another question: Has anyone put their horse in foal with this injury? Some say it is genetic and the mare can pass it on to her offsprings if the injury is chronic? How do I know if it's chronic or if she got it from an injury?

Do a google for ESPA and DSLD, there are indicators which determine if this is likely rather than an injury. If your horse is affected in more than one leg then this condition becomes more likely. Ultrasound also shows a general disruption of the fibres rather than a tear or hole at a defined location, sometimes the vet can see the calcification which occurs as the ligament repairs incorrectly. If there's a doubt I wouldn't risk breeding another one, it's a horrible horrible condition. Mine was euthanised at 6 after a period of being quite dangerous when ridden.

 

[Kuli]

Do a google for ESPA and DSLD, there are indicators which determine if this is likely rather than an injury. If your horse is affected in more than one leg then this condition becomes more likely. Ultrasound also shows a general disruption of the fibres rather than a tear or hole at a defined location, sometimes the vet can see the calcification which occurs as the ligament repairs incorrectly. If there's a doubt I wouldn't risk breeding another one, it's a horrible horrible condition. Mine was euthanised at 6 after a period of being quite dangerous when ridden.

I googled it and read about the symptoms of ESPA and DSLD and she just fits into one symptom and that is that she is lame in left front. So crossing my finger that she does not have that. Would definitely not breed her then, because that disease sounded horrible! Thanks

 

[Kuli]

Do a google for ESPA and DSLD, there are indicators which determine if this is likely rather than an injury. If your horse is affected in more than one leg then this condition becomes more likely. Ultrasound also shows a general disruption of the fibres rather than a tear or hole at a defined location, sometimes the vet can see the calcification which occurs as the ligament repairs incorrectly. If there's a doubt I wouldn't risk breeding another one, it's a horrible horrible condition. Mine was euthanised at 6 after a period of being quite dangerous when ridden.

Haha sorry, I have another question if that is ok! Can the injury be defined as chronic without symptoms of ESPA and DSLD? I'm not sure where the line goes between chronic and injury?

 

[nutjob]

@Kuli best thing is to see what comes up from the ultrasound. If it turns out that your horse is only affected in one leg then most likely not DSLD. It's not clear from your original post if your horse is lame in both front legs or not. If the vets already did the nerve blocking it should be clear if the horse then went lame on the opposite leg (which is what happened to mine). I will keep my fingers crossed for you that only one leg is affected which then points to an injury. Good luck.

 

[Regandal]

Horses that are straight through the hocks seem more likely to develop it, in the hind legs. You really need to develop decent heels and digital cushions to give the horse a fighting chance, this takes some of the strain off the suspensory ligament.

 

[TheMule]

Her suitability to have a foal would depend on whether this is an acute injury in (usually just one foreleg) or chronic (usually in both), how much work she was in prior to the injury and her own limb conformation

 

[Kuli]

Horses that are straight through the hocks seem more likely to develop it, in the hind legs. You really need to develop decent heels and digital cushions to give the horse a fighting chance, this takes some of the strain off the suspensory ligament.

It's her front left leg that is lame. Heard that psd in the back limbs are much worse than front limb, so I was lucky there. She had underrun heels for a periode but that should be ok now

 

[Kuli]

Her suitability to have a foal would depend on whether this is an acute injury in (usually just one foreleg) or chronic (usually in both), how much work she was in prior to the injury and her own limb conformation

Crossing my fingers that it's just one! She is only lame on front left, but the vets thinks it can be both because it usually is they say

 

[Zoeypxo]

Had a livery horse recently with PSD left fore, had 3/4 months box rest and 10 minutes walking in hand each day, horse is a quiet type and yard is busy so always someone for company. He is now sound infront but recently gone lame behind so still unable to be ridden. Hocks being x rayed in 2 wks. Forelimb seems to be holding up well so far even with the lameness behind.