Pulled suspensory ligament.

[mar2505]

My horse has been diagnosed with a pulled suspensory ligament after being lame for 5 weeks.
When I called vet otginally he was lame on circle only and she said rest and revisit so we did this 5 weeksd later. She then took him in and this was diagnosed.
The treatment is small paddock and ride 15mins a day building up to an hour in 3 months, my question is when I llok on the net , dangerous I know, most horses are 3months to a year off work completely.
Is there differnet levels of injury, I am so keen not to do any further damage.

 

[measles]

It is important during the healing process that the fibres are laid down correctly and this influences the decision to walk in hand/ride on hard surfaces in staight lines giving controlled rehabilitation to the injury.

 

[lensmith7]

Ok. Now stop looking on the net!! lol. I did exactly the same and I know how dangerous it is.

It all depends on the degree of injury. But as a BAD one, take my mare for example.

She tore her suspensory completely, at the origin and in the main body 4 months ago. It was the worst injury of it's kind the vet had seem in a pleasure horse. Usually main body leisions are found in race horses only.

Anyway, we had surgery, neurectomy, 3 months ago, coupled with stems cell implant into the core leision.

We had 2 weeks of box rest, the 2.5 months of walking in hand. She then went out into a small 15x15 paddock.

On Monday, 3 months exactly after the op, I got the all clear to get on and ride in walk, building up to trot at the end of a 3 month period.

Remeber this is a worst case senario, and I'm sure your horse is nowhere near as bad as my daft mare. But even she will be up to canter work 8 or so months after the op, *touches all wood she can find*.

The first few weeks really are the most important. It establishes the pattern the new fibres will be layed down in.

Hope this helps and everything turns out well.

 

[mar2505]

really concerned that it went 5 weeks untreated although i did notride him and he does not run around in field. How do horses tend to do these injuries, I put it doewn to having a hooley in field burt someone said it was the very deep school.
Have left yard for other reason.

 

[lensmith7]

I asked exactly the same questions to my vet.

He said it wouldnt have been caused by a one off. It would have worked up to it. It's a common misconception they just 'go'. Does that make sense.

Yes our school is really deep, and I think this was a contributing factor. Josie hates schooling anyway, she I wont make her do that anymore. She's going to the happy hack she's always dreamt of bless her!

If you didn't ride him in those first 5 weeks and he didnt run, he wont have done himself any harm. More to the point getle exercise is good for them, keeps the new fibres supple. Hence the 15mins building up

x

 

[mar2505]

thanks so much , i was of the thought that they just went! so that makes me feel better. The vet knows he is not good on box rest hence small paddock with field mate and he is happy eating.

 

[lensmith7]

[ QUOTE ]
thanks so much , i was of the thought that they just went! so that makes me feel better. The vet knows he is not good on box rest hence small paddock with field mate and he is happy eating.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're more than welcome. No they def dont just go.

Thats what Josie is doing now, and in hindsight, what I'd have prefered her to do from the outset really. Would have stopped the whole 'ooo I'm finally out' senssions we had when walking.

Hind sight is a wonderful thing eh?

Good luck x

 

[Ludi-doodi]

QR My boy has just completed week 1 of 5 weeks box rest for hind suspensory damage. He's had 1 of 4 shockwave therapy sessions and 1 of 7 adequan injections. The lameness Ludo showed was more than just the damage to the suspensories, and blocking the hock joint improved the lameness but not 100%. The adequan is for the hock joint and the shockwave for the suspensory damage.

Funnily enough Ludo has only shown up lame since the new arena surface has been put down - and yes, it's very deep. BUT I just don't know for certain how it's happened so wouldn't like to say it definately is the surface.

 

[trendybraincell]

My gelding ruptured his suspensory and chipped a bit of bone off the top of the sesamoid bone. He had a fetlock arthroscopy, the vet said they removed alot of damaged tissue. After the op he was on box rest for 2 weeks then started walking in hand from 5 working up to 30 minutes over a 6 week period. We are now on week 5 of those 6 weeks and I'm allowed to ride (in walk only) because he was becoming a real handful.

He'll go back up to be reassessed after the 6 weeks is up, with the view to start possibly turning out and bringing back into work...slowly.

I asked how he could have done it too. I'm at a competition yard so he's turned out alone and as a natural born fatty will spend his time stuffing his face rather than racing around...however, vet said its like a sprain, he but his foot in a rut and wrenched it etc but of course it could have been anything.

Agree with wasjosiejo...stop looking on the internet, listen to your vets they really do have the wealth of experience regarding the best course of treatment, and treatment will vary from horse to horse.

Hope all turns out well for you and your beastie.

 

[TayloredEq]

My boy had PSD in his near hind. The vet thought it would be 6 months before we would start the ridden work. With the use of a hydrotherapy spa he was being ridden after 8 weeks and given thr go ahead for canter at 12 weeks.

My vet said to keep him turned out from day one and he also went on the oval walker every day too. He said box rest is the worst thing you can do for these sorts of injuries.