Recovery from Superficial Flexor Tendon and Manica Flexor Injury

[Anniecarer]

My 15 year old Gypsy Cob recently suffered an injury in the field, which was localised to her DFTS through scan, XRay and blocking. I was advised that keyhole surgery was her best option, and prognosis was for a good recovery. Using a scope it was discovered that she had severe tearing of the lateral branch of the superficial digital flexor tendon down its length and marked damage to the manica flexoria. Her deep digital flexor tendon had minimal damage.The damaged tissue was removed. Her annual ligament was also divided.

She had three weeks of box rest (with 5 minutes of hand grazing) and after the stitches were taken out last week (7 days later than expected due to the portals being slow to close due to thick cobby skin!) she is now allowed out into a small paddock for 6 weeks, then we can start hand walking - 8 or 9 weeks after original surgery if all is well.

My vet has been good (apart from busting my insurance limit with loads of expensive visits "Because you're insured") but really doesn't seem to know what the recovery programme will be. I get that every one will vary due to time taken to heal and I know time is vital to allow it to heal, but she seems to have absolutely no idea when things can happen. She keeps saying "I don't know, I'm not the surgeon" when I ask anything, but I'm not able to contact the surgeon direct (don't have her details).

My main question is at what point can they go back out into the normal field? My vet says it's "probably" when she can walk, trot and canter properly - so on the exercise basis some time next year then. I'm at a big livery yard and have managed to get limited use of a small paddock for now, but there aren't many free fields and to get more than an hour or two out a day she needs to go back out with the herd. And what happens if she is never sound enough to be ridden in canter - is she never allowed out again?? Other owners who have had similar injuries are allowed back out into herd fields once then are getting a decent amount of walking.

She isn't happy alone, and has tanked around this tiny area already - Sedalin makes no difference - which probably puts more pressure on her leg than a bigger field. She has been an absolute angel throughout this time (original injury nearly 7 weeks ago) so I will do what I have to and want the best chance for recovery, but would love to know at what stage I can expecting what.

Anyone with similar experience?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

The general rule of thumb with tendon injuries in 12 weeks box rest, 12 weeks walking work, 12 weeks in a field before full work can resume. I am surprised you are allowed to turn her out, albeit in a small paddock, yet. Most would keep to strict box rest for at least 3-4 weeks before walking in-hand commences. Email the vets that did the surgery and ask for a exercise program. They usually have them ready made ready to hand out. Sorry but your normal vet sounds a bit useless!

 

[be positive]

The general rule of thumb with tendon injuries in 12 weeks box rest, 12 weeks walking work, 12 weeks in a field before full work can resume. I am surprised you are allowed to turn her out, albeit in a small paddock, yet. Most would keep to strict box rest for at least 3-4 weeks before walking in-hand commences. Email the vets that did the surgery and ask for a exercise program. They usually have them ready made ready to hand out. Sorry but your normal vet sounds a bit useless!

I am amazed that she has been allowed out 3 weeks after surgery, my horse had far less done and had 6 weeks of complete box rest followed by 3 weeks of increasing in hand walking before being allowed out, another that had a simple, relatively minor tendon injury spent weeks walking to condition the leg before being turned away.
Both came back to full work, the one that had the op was sent back with a written plan for post op care and my own vet only came out when asked certainly not just to check up on an insured horse.

I would be very concerned that the tendons that cannot yet be healed will be compromised by her being out, your vet seems to have things round the opposite way to what I, and EKW, would expect to be done, the whole point of the walking is being missed if she is messing about in a tiny paddock, in many ways, apart from the fact it was a field injury in the first place, she would probably be safer out with her friends living out 24/7 when they are less likely to hoon about daily.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I to am surprised they have said she can go in a small paddock most of the time vets advise walking first then once the horse is trotting and cantering sound they can be turned out, if she is tanking round the field I would be inclined to put her on box rest and continue with the walking.

 

[Anniecarer]

Thanks very much everyone. It does seem strange that she can run around the field before she has walked out. The field is a little larger than recommended by the surgeon (I am at a big yard so very few appropriate fields) but even in the size she has said would be big enough to run around. I keep being told that the injury is serious but not as bad as it could be - but it sounded pretty bad in the written report. A friend whose boy has a tendon injury on a front leg but wasn't as lame, is being encouraged to walk her boy out, and he is allowed out for 3 x 30 minutes slots per day in the same field. That said, my girl is walking better than her boy - who looks worse now than when the injury was spotted. Every vet seems to have a different view. I will try and email the surgeon if I can get her address - I have her report. Thanks again.