MissiMoo
Member
Yes this is what my lovely dressage mare has done, basically its a small chip fracture just below the stifle. Vet says prognosis is very good, but I am not convinced. Anyone had a similar problem?
Small fracture to Tibial Tuberosity
- Thread starter MissiMoo
- Start date
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Yep, my horse was kicked (goodness knows how as it was on the inside on the stifle area). He has a bone chip and was xrayed and scanned. The vet said box rest, and painting with DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) would resolve it and it did do. Once the bone chip is reabsorbed into the body (if it is small it will do) then it is no longer a problem. If the bone chip is large (in the case of my friends horse) an operation is required to remove the chip. I believe new calcium deposits (bone) are laid down over the chip in time, DMSO helps this happen as it does something to the free radicals - here is a link for you http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0200dmso.shtml
My horse was right as rain after a few weeks (think it was 5 weeks box rest and then introducing in hand walking and turn out after 7-8 weeks, ridden work thereafter).
I was really upset on finding it was a chip as the vet had originally come out and said he thought the injury was just superficial brusing following a kick and advised me to turn him out. After a few days when he was still quite lame on it 3-4/10ths lame, I kept him in the stable as I was convinced it was more than bruising and I got the vet back out which is when it was scanned. I was told he had been quite lucky as if he had run around it could have made it much worse and then it could have developed into a castrostrophic fracture, so the box rest was essential for him until it had healed sufficiently. The vet was concerned that the kick had intereferred with some ligament that runs from the stifle and it had been nicked which would result in him not being able to bring his leg so far under his body as he could before but I can't see its made any difference, he is still getting early to mid 70's scores in his novice dressage. Try not to worry, it really isn't as bad as it sounds - honestly! xx
My horse was right as rain after a few weeks (think it was 5 weeks box rest and then introducing in hand walking and turn out after 7-8 weeks, ridden work thereafter).
I was really upset on finding it was a chip as the vet had originally come out and said he thought the injury was just superficial brusing following a kick and advised me to turn him out. After a few days when he was still quite lame on it 3-4/10ths lame, I kept him in the stable as I was convinced it was more than bruising and I got the vet back out which is when it was scanned. I was told he had been quite lucky as if he had run around it could have made it much worse and then it could have developed into a castrostrophic fracture, so the box rest was essential for him until it had healed sufficiently. The vet was concerned that the kick had intereferred with some ligament that runs from the stifle and it had been nicked which would result in him not being able to bring his leg so far under his body as he could before but I can't see its made any difference, he is still getting early to mid 70's scores in his novice dressage. Try not to worry, it really isn't as bad as it sounds - honestly! xx
MissiMoo
Member
Thanx, glad all is well with your horse. The decision was taken not to take the chip out surgically with my horse as it was quite large. 6 weeks down the line it is knitting back together, but I think its a long job!
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
Not quite the same but our pony had a star fracture of the tibia. She was out on loan at the time andoriginallythe vet just treated the wound(it was a kick), took a few days before x-rays revealed the fracture. When our vet took over he said it was lucky she hadn't tried to lie down in the first few days as getting up could have made things much worse. She was in a Robert Jones and cross tied for 6 weeks, then box rest for a further 6 weeks. She made a full recovery.