Suspensory ligamament injury - PRP treatment - Any Experiences?

[Horseyhorsey]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has had the same experience as me - or has any advice.
A quick bit of background info: 9 y/o gelding, I've owned him for 18 months, he was only backed a few months before I got him. We had started working on his schooling, he always had problems with his canter work - very unbalanced etc but initially thought this due to being green. However, in June this year (2013) he started showing sure signs of discomfort, initially had back checked & was advised to call vet.
To cut a very long story short it was found that he had problems with his hind suspensory ligaments (branches) had nerve blocking / arthroscopy etc & then treated with PRP.
His treatment was 4 months ago & I can not say that I have seen him completely sound since. Initially after treatment he was on box rest, then small paddock turnout & now turned out during day & in at night. I have obviously not been doing any work with him since the first signs of discomfort. When out he very rarely does anything other than eat, & is generally not the type to have a hooley. He was due to start coming back into work in Jan, in hand walking initially then very slowly building up.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed he looked very stiff while out in field, trotted him up & very lame on offside hind.
Vet called & re-scanned, ligaments themselves have healed nicely but significant swelling around them, which is causing the pain & lameness.
He is now on bute til beginning of March & then vet will review again.
I wondered if anyone else may have any experience of this? I am fully aware that these injuries take time to heal & cannot be rushed, but I would have expected to see some signs of improvement by now & would have hoped that his lameness would have reduced.
Any comments would be appreciated - honest opinions welcome!
Thanks

 

[Auslander]

Welcome to the shady world of the PSD rehabbers! The swelling I assume is PSD (Proximal Suspensory Desmitis) which is what my chap has. He has had shockwave, PRP and around 18 months of rest/very careful rehab - and he's only just coming sound. There are various options - those mentioned above, or surgery, but whatever you decide to do, you are in it for the long haul I'm afraid. It's really common to have blips along the way, and a lot of horses become functionally sound, but not quite 100% regular again. Sounds all doom and despondency, but it's best to be prepared for a long term challenge. The key to a successful return to work seems to be rest, carefully controlled turnout, and a really long slow rehab schedule. I did 16 weeks of walking in straight lines on the road, building up from 10 minutes to 90, before introducing 20 second bursts of trot on uphill stretches of road. I've given him a break over Xmas, so will be starting again with 6 weeks walking, and seeing what happens from there
I also had remedial shoes on (Jim Blurton Hind Sports Bars) which made a massive difference to his comfort and soundness, and he's on a bespoke anti-inflammatory supplement, which seems to work very well for him.
Theres a fantastic support group of fellow sufferers over on Facebook - PSD Discussion Group- well worth joining

 

[Horseyhorsey]

Thank you so much for your reply. It is good to hear from others in the same situation as us.
It is also good to hear that your boys supplement is helping - this is also something I have been wondering about. I will have a look at the group on Facebook.
Thanks again & good luck to you & your boy.

 

[Auslander]

Thank you so much for your reply. It is good to hear from others in the same situation as us.
It is also good to hear that your boys supplement is helping - this is also something I have been wondering about. I will have a look at the group on Facebook.
Thanks again & good luck to you & your boy.

The supplement is from Hack-up btw. I'm naturally suspicious of such things, but it seems too much of a coincidence that his last packet of bute coincided with the end of the 7 day loading period of the supplement, and I haven't felt the need to bute him at all since. Previously, I was giving him a sachet every few days whenever I thought he looked a bit "off"

 

[Horsestudent2022]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has had the same experience as me - or has any advice.
A quick bit of background info: 9 y/o gelding, I've owned him for 18 months, he was only backed a few months before I got him. We had started working on his schooling, he always had problems with his canter work - very unbalanced etc but initially thought this due to being green. However, in June this year (2013) he started showing sure signs of discomfort, initially had back checked & was advised to call vet.
To cut a very long story short it was found that he had problems with his hind suspensory ligaments (branches) had nerve blocking / arthroscopy etc & then treated with PRP.
His treatment was 4 months ago & I can not say that I have seen him completely sound since. Initially after treatment he was on box rest, then small paddock turnout & now turned out during day & in at night. I have obviously not been doing any work with him since the first signs of discomfort. When out he very rarely does anything other than eat, & is generally not the type to have a hooley. He was due to start coming back into work in Jan, in hand walking initially then very slowly building up.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed he looked very stiff while out in field, trotted him up & very lame on offside hind.
Vet called & re-scanned, ligaments themselves have healed nicely but significant swelling around them, which is causing the pain & lameness.
He is now on bute til beginning of March & then vet will review again.
I wondered if anyone else may have any experience of this? I am fully aware that these injuries take time to heal & cannot be rushed, but I would have expected to see some signs of improvement by now & would have hoped that his lameness would have reduced.
Any comments would be appreciated - honest opinions welcome!
Thanks

I know this is from almost 10 years ago but how did your horse end up doing ? I am going through left hind suspensory ligament injury rehab and we are in our third month. He seemed to be sound initially but now looking lame again despite having done PRP a month ago and seeing healing. Very curious to hear about your horse’s progress. Thank you !

 

[sheep]

I know this is from almost 10 years ago but how did your horse end up doing ? I am going through left hind suspensory ligament injury rehab and we are in our third month. He seemed to be sound initially but now looking lame again despite having done PRP a month ago and seeing healing. Very curious to hear about your horse’s progress. Thank you !

Unfortunately I don’t think this user will reply as they haven’t logged in since 2013, hopefully someone else with relevant experience will update for you.
My horse had PRP but for a different issue (DDFT injury) - happy to share if useful.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

It’s so tough, isn’t it? Don’t know if this helps but my horse had PSD in his left hind. Also a bit in right but left much worse. He had bone bruising too where the left suspensory joined. Took ages to get a diagnosis and probably caused a lot more damage but that’s another story. He’s a big horse and vets were very bleak about his prospects of a return to work. Low level allrounder .He’s 9 and I didn’t want to operate, not sure he would have been a candidate as at this referral centre they only operate on ones they feel have a much higher than average chance of success. He had PRP but it made no difference and vets recommended box rest/ restricted movement/ physio but we decided to turn him away for a year. We had nothing to loose as we were facing him being a field ornament anyway if he could be sound enough even for that. Took his shoes off and let him live out 24/7 with my two retirees. During the wet winter it was hard watching him slip about with the others but after a while he started to improve.
We relocated and so had to change vets. In the spring when she came to look at one of the others, I trotted him up for her as I thought he’d been looking sound in the field. I didn’t tell her his history, just said is he sound? She agreed that he was and I shed a few tears. I told her his history and we’ve started rehab. I never believed we’d get back on him.. We’re 8 weeks in and just starting little bits of trot. I’m terrified he’s going to break again but we are going very slowly, slower than the vet suggested. I’ve had him shod in front because he is now hacking out in walk quite a way. He was shod all round previously but as he’s come sound barefoot, I’ve left hinds off thus far. Every day is a bonus, trot is feeling great and we are hoping to canter at the end of July. Obviously long term we’ve no idea where we’re headed.
Please feel free to PM me

 

[Pinkvboots]

I know this is from almost 10 years ago but how did your horse end up doing ? I am going through left hind suspensory ligament injury rehab and we are in our third month. He seemed to be sound initially but now looking lame again despite having done PRP a month ago and seeing healing. Very curious to hear about your horse’s progress. Thank you !

Just thought I would throw my experience in incase it helps.

My Arabi had basically a hole in his left suspensory when he was 12 he had prp and 6 months box rest, it scanned completely heeled and was sound for years until he was 18 he looked slightly off behind and he had slight damage to both suspensories after scanning them.

Vet wanted box rest and laser for 6 weeks, I had the laser but I didn't box rest he was on field rest it was middle of summer and I decided after the pedal bone fracture I wouldn't box test him again.

He was sound after 6 weeks of the laser and rest and his been fine since his 20 now, I don't school him really now his hacked out though my main issue with him now is front feet coffin joint arthritis which has to be managed carefully.

Just thought I would add that his barefoot now.