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!?

 

[Fox07]

My mare was diagnosed with bi lateral stifle OCD aged 5 and had the op last May, her prognosis was guarded and was worse in the left stifle we did the box rest etc to the letter and she was surprisingly good then turnout in a small paddock, then a slightly bigger one and eventually I put her back out in the field as she was cantering about like a loon (I think she was trying to tell me she was better!) However she was still lame, eventually she went for MRI in October as vet suspected the front feet were now causing the lameness as the back legs were now looking really good (this is apparently quite common in horses with stifle OCD as they over compensate on the front legs) MRI found inflammation of the navicular bursa and coffin joint in both feet, bursa was medicated no change, coffin joint was done a week after and I noticed a difference vet recommended getting her moving so away we went on firm surfaces, we were up to the point of trotting but she now appears quite uncomfortable in her mouth (head shaking, grinding on the bit, snatching at the reins wanting to rub her face) so I have stopped riding her (vet due out next week to see her teeth).
What I will say is take it one day at a time, don't rush, listen to your horse... I haven't pushed my vet for answers to questions like will she be able to jump (this is what I really enjoy and want to be doing with her) after a year of not riding I am just pleased I have been able to sit on her again as I thought I may have to make an awful decision last year.
Try not to research on the internet too much as you will scare yourself!
Invest in a decent supplement, mine is on Hack Bespoke supplement which contains turmeric, I also have her on devils claw as she was feeling stiff initially.
She seems happy but as a result of all the treatment etc she hates being messed on with, tries to stamp on the vet whenever she sees them and has become very clingy with other horses (seperation anxiety)...
I keep holding on to the fact a lovely lady I know through Facebook has had a horse with similar problems to mine and she is now out competing in jumping, dressage etc
Anyway good luck with your boy feel free to PM if you need to chat it over with anyone

 

[FlyingCoo]

My horse went under double arthroscopy last May. Originally we visited the vet to investigate a possible niggle in a hind tendon to come out with being told he had a predominant bone chip in one stifle and OCD in both stifles.

Decided to operate which wasn't quite straightforward as the fragments were very embedded and the osteoarthritis was more advanced than originally thought.

We then undertook 4 IRAP sessions also after surgery. I only box rested for two weeks following surgery to ensure the wounds healed and then he was 13 weeks turned out in a small paddock which was increased each week.

At the time I was given a very doom and gloom outcome but as he was only 11 and my once in a lifetime horse I felt I had to try everything.

He came back into work last September and did 14 weeks roadwork before I even contemplated doing anything else which included a lot of hills etc.

He wears magnetic boots at night and is on suppleaze gold joint supplement and wears a massage pad prior to riding as he takes that bit extra to warm up now. I know we will have to IRAP again in the future but we have bloods frozen at the vets just in case.

The upshot is my horse has come back better than ever and now has a canter worthy of a dressage horse as always just put his pony choppy canter down to being a cob x canter and not realise he had OCD as never had a days lameness ever and didn't stop him going out strutting his stuff. He is back popping over 1.20 like its a cross pole and is fit and raring to go for the event season ahead something which I could never have dreamt about last May.

I know time is against us now as I don't know what the future holds but as long as he's back doing the job he loves then all is well.

Maintenance is going to be the key and as Fox07 says listen to your horse.

Step away from Google and ask everything of your vets. Yes they do paint worst case scenario but what vet doesn't?

Fingers crossed of a successful outcome for you and PM if you want any further info.

 

[nuttychestnut]

Hi, I am due to have the same surgery with my boy shortly (just awaiting acceptance of my claim).
I have spoken to my vet at length regarding this, and he has a lot of experience of dealing with OCD. He was speaking to me regarding a horse that had terrible OCD to the cartilage, had most of the cartilage removed, nearly down to the bone. One of the worst cases he had seen. That same horse is now sound and back competing, eventing I believe.
It isn't all doom and gloom, a lot of horses have this operation and get sound, then preform even betting than before!
Hang in there!
In regards to supplements, I believe the USA is leading the way.

 

[LouiseG]

Thank you for the replies! His was cartilage damage caused by inflammation in the joint, not OCD, but the operation is essentially the same I guess with regards to shaving the damaged cartilage away. I'm so glad I opted to treat aggressively, I think with these things it's better to know what you're dealing with.

Flyingcoo that is excellent news about your horse!! That is so reassuring to hear! I think sometimes we can put these things down to their way of going rather than something not being quite right!

Nuttychestnut, good luck with your horse's op, I hope everything goes to plan!

It's easy to get bogged down on google and get very depressed about the situation! The worst is not knowing what the future will hold, but then when do you ever with horses?! If he trots up sound then I can get back on in 5 weeks. However I'm thinking about giving him an extra month with longer turn out, at the moment he can only get 2.5 hours per day due to field dynamics but the vet thinks this will work fine as his rest period between turnout will be longer and I will continue with some in hand walking, his quiet companion babysits another horse during the day too so I have no choice, he wouldn't be calm on his own his paddock is probably around 15 x 15 but I opted for this because if it was any smaller it would be like a bog by now with all the rain and it's bad enough walking him through the muddy gateways! Thanks again for the replies! x