Splint rubbing suspensory ligament

AnyChance

AnyChance

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Hello,

My horse has been diagnosed with a splint that is rubbing the suspensory ligament. Does anyone have any knowledge regarding this condition?
 
I nearly did, the vet thought at one stage that might have been a problem with my mare - turned out it wasn't. What has the vet said re treatment? Will they have to remove the splint?
 
Hi thanks for replying DieselDog,

The vet said he thought it was too high up to operate and if he did it would prob cause knee problems

I think he was basically saying that prognosis poor and i would just have to see how things went

He has been on box rest etc and now on limited turn out
 
Yes. PF had exactly this. Her splints were only little but they were in exactly the wrong spot and vet said she wouldn't get any better SO (and I gave this A LOT of thought, and before someone jumps all over me AGAIN, remember I live in ARGENTINA and not even a particularly well-populated part of Argentina) we applied a blister twice (2 days), she had a month off with cold hosing, the splints shrank just enough and she came sound and has been sound since.
You could try something like splintex which is reputed to help reduce splints. Several people on HHO have said it's worked for them.
 
Thanks for that,

My horse luckily is actually not lame which is the weirdest thing but he has swelling in that area and in walk he very occaisonally trips, as if it catches him
Can you get splintex in England?

Does it work on old splints or just ones that are new and still forming?
Do people still ride their horses that suffer with this?

Blister pack?
 
Yes, there's splintex silver and splintex gold. One is for old splints (more than a year, I think) and the other for recent splints but I don't remember which! I stopped riding PF because she was a bit lame (really only slightly) but vet said she would be OK to be turned out, which is just as well because she got a bit loony with no work. I used to turn her out in the school and she hooned around bucking like mad, so clearly it didn't do her any harm.
 
PapaFrita - thanks for your help,
smile.gif


this is really interesting - how is it applied do i ask my vet for it?
 
I think you just apply with a brush and leave it. It's what I did in my case. It did cause inflammation and eventually for the skin to thicken and eventually slough off in great chunks, but it was healthy skin with black hair underneath so not too gross. PF was a bit uncomfortable in her legs, but no lamer than before. I don't expect splintex will have that harsh an effect.
 
My horse has been on limited turn out 1-3 hours usually alternate days he came in from the field yesterday a bit pottery. As he has no shoes on now i thought it was just the gravel irritating him - anyway went this morning and he has swollen leg from knee to below fetlock - he must have been up to no good - now more box rest, hosing, bandaging - again!
crazy.gif
 
The injury origionally occured in the field - a blow to the leg. He was scanned by one vet after this happened who said there was not much to see give him some rest then take him for a good gallop!! and that would show any weakness!!
So he was on box rest and built work back up slowly and continued as normal.

After a while the swelling became worse and went to a different vet who scanned him and said he had significant damage to both front suspensory ligs

Box rest again

When the swelling had gone after the box rest you could feel the boney lump high up on the outside of the leg. the vet scanned him and said there was only very slight suspensory damage and he had seen much worse but the splint was going to aggrivate it.

He advised gradual increase of work and to see how things went
 
Anychance
Sorry to hear about your horse's injury. It sounds quite similar to mine - injury in field a couple of weeks ago. Initially just signs of a small splint on outside of cannon bone, followed by more severe lameness and swelling a few days later. Her opp front has now swelled up too. Vet thinks it is the suspensory ligament - being scanned tuesday. I am also worried about fractures or chips as she obviously clouted herself (on the water trough in this case).

I take it the vet can tell from the scan if the splint is going to rub?
 
Hi jasperc

Im not 100% but i think the scan just determines the severity of the suspensory ligament damage.

I also think that sometimes it can be unclear as to whether the scan shows old injury damage or new.

I dont think it shows position of the splint i think that would be through an X-ray - but when swelling goes down you can feel where the splint is and then the vet will know if its going to interfere with the SL
Though someone else may have more knowledge??
I would be interested to know how you get on with this
Hope things go well on tues
 
After my horse coming in from field lame and next day swelling he has been on box rest.

The swelling has now gone down but on the inside of his near fore he has a line, perhaps vein/ligament - it has not been there before, any ideas as to what it could be?

I was not going to get the vet out as obviously i am just managing his condition but with this new appearance i am wondering if i should get him to have a look
 
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