Shockwave

My horse is on 3 months box rest for collateral ligament damage and has had 2 sessions of shock wave at 2 weekly intervals with a third session to come next week. The vet has a portable machine about the size of a milk crate. The animal is sedated and the whole procedure takes about 5 minutes. The machine has an attachment which looks like a hand held drill with a small thumb shaped knob on the end which the vet presses onto the area needing treatment. There is a small amount of noise during treatment (which is why I guess they sedate the horse as it could frighten him). There doesn't seem to be any discomfort at all, either during or after the treatment. As to whether it will be successful remains to be seen but I have heard good things about it so am keeping my fingers crossed! Each treatment costs £130 plus the extras of call out, sedation etc.
 
Hi many thanks. I too have heard good things and research looks promising. Was your condition chronic? I will not be box resting no matter what is said, from experience I feel it can cause more damage than good. I hope it works for you, let me know how it goes.:)
 
Sorry this reply is late - went off to do some other stuff and have only just come back on here. My horse wasn't too bad - he was only slightly lame on circles in the arena to begin with - in fact, my instructor noticed it before me and then it was so slight I had to really concentrate to see it. He was working advanced medium dressage.
My experience has been a very long drawn out process due to my own pigheadness which has, in fact, made things worse! I was told right at the start in June 2009 that he had arthritic changes in the coffin joint and suspected coll. ligament damage (CLD) but that they couldnt definitely confirm the ligament damage without MRI. I refused to pay £1,000 plus for this scan as he wasnt insured and because he didnt seem that bad. I guess the trouble with my horse is that he had the arthritis as well so I just assumed the CLD wasnt the major problem. So I had the joint medicated and he came sound. Have had repeated injections since but the time lapse between the necessity for the injections became shorter and shorter. Eventually, I put him on one bute a day and everything was fine UNTIL he got sick with a stomach bug and had to come off the bute. I was sooooo shocked to see how lame he was without the bute that I relented and had the MRI done which did confirm the CLD. So at this stage the Royal Veterinary College told me that the steriod contained in the joint medication had to be stopped because that was hindering the healing of the CLD. Recommendation was 3 months box rest, shock wave therapy and/or stem cell treatment. I opted for shock wave as its relatively cheaper than stem cell treatment.
My BIGGEST regret was not listening to the vet in the first instance - I should have had all this done in 2009 - I have wasted nearly 2 years and all that money not dealing with the CLD properly. I can understand your reluctance regarding box rest but if your vet is telling you that is what is needed then you should follow that advice otherwise you will just be delaying things like I did. I really really wish I had done all this two years ago.
 
my horse had shockwave for his proximal suspensory desmitis in his right hind back in 2002. he was sound by the 3rd treatment, came back into work slowly and never looked back!
 
Thanks lots for your replies. Star, it is so good to hear a positive story thanks, could you say a bit more about what the rehab was, box rest, walking in hand or what?
Zuzzie I understand what you are saying about box rest but I feel it is box rest which has worsened matters for my boy, I believe controlled exercise is far more beneficial. Any benefit of box rest can be undone by pratting about once turned out, lunged etc. I followed my vets advice on this to the letter keeping my poor lad in just to see him go frantic on tight unused ligaments....
never again!
 
he was meant to be on box rest until he was in canter work. i think he managed about 2 days of box rest before he barged straight through me and galloped down to the field, skidding round the car park on the way. he box walked and weaved and generally did himself far more damage in the field. i ended up splitting the little sick paddock into 4 and putting him out there in the day, in at night until he was in trot work and then i turned him back out with the rest of his normal herd and he came in at night. he did a month of in-hand walking, 2 mths of ridden walking, 2 mths of ridden trotting, 2 mths of ridden canter and then started schooling. he was meant to do all that out hacking but it was winter so he did a lot of it in the school but just large round the edge with no attempts to work him in an outline.
 
Hi my horse has just started 3 months box rest for damaged suspensory ligament and check ligament. He has to have walking in hand twice a day 5 mins to start with then up to 25mins. He is due to have shockwave treatment next week. i am also going to buy some magnetic boots for him to wear.

I have been told he will probably need operation after the 3 months. I would love to hear from anybody who has had this experience. He is only used for hacking and the odd fun ride so i hope i can ride him again as he is only 5.
 
Well my boy had his shockwave today, vet was very pleased with how he looks and is going, he is sound on the straight and slightly lame on the right rein. Next session in a weeks time.:)
 
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