suspensory ligament injury and splint bone fracture

[tangotime]

Hi there,

is there any body out there with a horse which sustained a traumatic (not degenerative) proximal suspensory ligament in the hindlimb. What was the outcome? How was the injury managed?

Thank you.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

A purebred connemara suffered this at the yard i was working at. He came in from the field with it so we dont know how it happened but suspect a kick. The bone had chipped taking away a large part of the "branch" that secures the ligament to the bone. It was diagnosed with Xray and ultrasound scan. He had 6 shockwave treatments and was turned out for a few hours each day in a tiny paddock. After 4 months we brought him back into work, slowly and carefully and he came back into full competitive work. Two years later he was sold to a PC eventing home, we declared the injury so they had a full 5* vetting with xrays and scans and he passed all of them.

 

[tangotime]

Hi Dex,

that Connemaras injury sounds very similar to mine. My 3 yo came also in lame from the field and we assumed he got kicked or kicked into something solid i.e. the fence. The fracture is a non-displaced fracture which should heal without surgery, but the proximal suspensory ligament is severly damaged and at the moment his fetlock drops a lot. He's been boxrested for the last four weeks, but so far there hasn't been much improvement. However, suspensory ligaments appear to be slow to heal, so I am probably not patient enough.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[hostess99]

My TB gelding sustained similar injury in November. Both hind legs are affected vet said it was an acute injury which has occured in the field. He has a chip of bone which is floating we had hoped it would attach itself but as yet hasnt. Vets have given me a very poor prognosis. I havent seen any improvement yet and try not to look at his back legs any more!! Patience is a vertue