Stifle arthroscopy for cartilage damage - happy endings anyone?!

[LouiseG]

My lovely boy had a bilateral arthroscopy of his stifles nearly 8 weeks ago, he's rising 7. They found a finger nail sized piece of cartilage damage to both medial femoral condyles, slightly worse on the right but fairly even in location. There was no ligament or soft tissue damage. They shaved down the cartilage (thankfully about half way, and not down to the bone) and he's since had 3 IRAP injections and is on the usual Cosequin etc. He trotted up looking pretty good at 6 weeks (he was pretty lame before surgery, about 6/7 tenths on flexion), he has had 7 weeks box rest with in hand walking 3 x per day, he has been an absolute angel and his recovery has been pretty uneventful and by the book! He got back out into the field on Monday on restricted turnout for 6 weeks and he thinks all his dreams have come true, bless him! He will be assessed again in 5 weeks.

Anyway, the reason for my post is to hear if there are any happy endings after this type of stifle cartilage damage followed by arthroscopy. Given the frequency of this operation, there must be some good outcomes?? The internet is just full of bad ones and a lot of posts about ligament tears and damage, but nothing specifically on just this kind of cartilage damage. He's been given a 65% chance of a return to full work including jumping so I'm hanging on to that percentage!!

Anyone!?

 

[putasocinit]

Yes my cob had it done on hos meniscus after beng hit by a motorbike, 5 years later we are sound hacking all paces, not stiff pulling out of box but can be seen a hint lame on the right rein on the lunge, so he wouldnt stand up to showing, he isnt on any meds because he doesnt need them. I did use devils claw when he first started work again after the box rest, but he was on box rest for nearly 4 months.