sticky stifle - not the straightforward kind - help!

[September22]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has experienced the following or can recommend anything..... I have a 7yr old welsh d x tb who i bought last Oct, I had him vetted and trialled him. After 5 months he displayed a typical locking stifle, rolled over on the toe. We were not aware he suffered from this....Since then we have worked him harder, plenty of hill work, regular schooling, strengthening work and it appears to be getting worse, he fully locks every few weeks, semi locks and drops the joint pretty much everyday. he's out 24/7 also. I've had the vet see him, xrayed the stifle, all clean, tried estrogen injections, no joy, have had the tendon sliced with a needle as the least invasive way a week and a half ago, he is sound as a pound, swelling gone down, but yesterday again was locking up........ So will catch up with vet tomorrow but am at a loss here so any advice / experiences much appreciated!!

 

[lornaA]

I have been having terrible trouble with my mares stifle these past few months. She is slightly different to your boy in that she is 20 years old and quite arthritic in other ways. Her stifle has been locking continuously and I have been on the verge of having her pts as is been so bad but after trying testing her then increasing her exercise and increasing her danilon which she is already on anyway none of these made a difference so 2 weeks ago I had her stifle injected with steroids and what a difference! Within 24 hours there was a difference and she has only got better. We have restarted her exercise which isn't much as she is retired so only 15 to 20 mins in hand work every day to get her using her back end again which it turn should help her stifle too. It is still locking very occasionally but when it does its freeing much easier and over all I am very pleased do far with the results x