suspensory ligament injury recap - any thoughts?

Birker2020

Birker2020

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Basically my vet came out 24th June after my horse started doing a strange hopping on his right fore. The vet diagnosed a slight sprain of the lateral branch of the suspensory tendon (over fetlock n/s fore). The leg was scanned and showed a slight dark area where the ligament had been strained. 2 weeks box rest, bute and walking in hand 2 x 20 mins, followed by walking for 2 weeks ridden. Also pulsed mag on leg every day for a fortnight. Vet came out said up the work over four weeks, came out saw video of ridden trot as he asked me to do one for him and scanned, no improvement. So told to carry on ridden work for 4 weeks with trot and canter towards end of that time period and LW ultrasound on leg every day by physio. Vet came out second time, re scanned, no improvement. Video of ridden trot showed slight improvement, trotted up, sound. Vet flexion tested, trotted up lame. Three lots of shockwave a week apart. Vet due out tomorrow. Told be to take a video so did one yesterday, literally 10 mins warm up in school in walk, two mins trot on right rein as he asked. Can see improvement but still not right.

After four months for a slight sprain when we only hack out every other day for an hour, and every other day 30 mins walk in field I would have expected more, especially after the three shockwaves.

If the vet says no improvement tomorrow where do we go from here? Would you think IRAP is the way forward??
 
It doesn't seem like he's had enough time to heal. My mare strained a tendon the walk worked started at 5 mins a day working up to an hour over 12 weeks before trot work was introduced.
 
I agree, it doesn't sound like enough time is given. Tendons can take longer than bones to heal. Not a horse granted, but my dog has strained a tendon and is currently undergoing shock wave therapy but is on rest for a minimum of 8 - 12 weeks (walk only) as the shock wave therapy takes a while to actually work, if at all.
 
My last horse had desmitis of the medial/lateral branches and from what I remember I was told this area was difficult to treat. We had so many other problems that treatment wasn't an option for him anyway, but the plan was to be roughly the same as what you've followed, or 12 months field rest. I think you probably just need to be patient, plenty of horses recover from suspensory lig sprain so don't give up hope just yet.
 
TBH, I think one hour sound like quite a lot of work, this is hacking isn't it (if my brain doesn't fail me from your previous posts?).

I know its hard, and good to have a plan of action, but I woudl honestly try and wait and see what the vet says first. Ligaments take a long time, I am expecting mine to be on restricted for another 4 months yet (due to muudy/icy ground and I don''t want to risk it) and then I'm not expecting him to be back up to full work for at least another year.
 
Stencilface said:
TBH, I think one hour sound like quite a lot of work, this is hacking isn't it (if my brain doesn't fail me from your previous posts?).

I know its hard, and good to have a plan of action, but I woudl honestly try and wait and see what the vet says first. Ligaments take a long time, I am expecting mine to be on restricted for another 4 months yet (due to muudy/icy ground and I don''t want to risk it) and then I'm not expecting him to be back up to full work for at least another year.
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Vet says hacking can be unlimited, four hours if I want. Just has to be in walk which is what I've been doing. There is no shorter rounder route than an hours hack by us and I have to do a round trip or horse will nap if I try to take him further past the point we previously turned round at.
 
seems very strange to me in Febuary my OHs horse had the same sort of injury he was 12 weeks in the stable had shock wave 4 sessions a week apart it was kept iced on a regular basis every day for six weeks and we used equissage on it twice daily he was sound on trot up from about a week after the injury . Your horse seems to be getting a lot of work I would be hysterical with worry if one mine was still lame and in that much work.
I suggest you ask the vet exactly why he approaching it this way so you understand his thinking, and if does not make sense to you get another option.
Our horse made a full recovery it was a very boring doing months of walking exercise but so far so good.
 
My mare has damaged her SDFT and Ive bee quoted a years before we are back to where we left off nd Im looking at 3 to 6 months stable rest and 3 months of field rest and walking out before we start riding properly.

I think the return to work has been to fast to allow the injury to heal.
 
NiknKia said:
My mare has damaged her SDFT and Ive bee quoted a years before we are back to where we left off nd Im looking at 3 to 6 months stable rest and 3 months of field rest and walking out before we start riding properly.

I think the return to work has been to fast to allow the injury to heal.
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My horse has damaged the lateral branch of his suspensory ligament. Its a branch from the ligament that goes over the fetlock. Its not a SDFT which is completely a different kettle of fish entirely. Its a slight sprain, not a tear and a ligament and not a tendon.

I've told my vet I'm happy to turn him away for 6 months if he thinks it will help but he says that the ligament needs a certain amount of stress upon it in order to heal and road work is the stress which is the best, an unlimited amount so long as there is not trotting, and I haven't trotted a single stride!

He knows I also ride in the field and says that's fine also, again no time constraints although I only do 20 mins or so as its a little boring. Its not a rutted field, as there's been no horses in it for months so its brilliant to ride in.

If its not healed I shall ask him if he thinks it will be okay to consider IRAP as I've heard positive things about it but not sure if it would be suitable in this situation.

I will put the link to the video on if I can but not sure how to.
 
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I also think that your vet has started work much too early. I'm no expert and my horse strained his hind proximal suspensory which is a harder one to mend but he had over 4 months box rest, shock wave, adequan injections and then very restricted turnout and a very slow build-up to ridden work ie 5 minutes in walk. In total he was not really ridden for a year.

He also has arthritis in the same fetlock and was treated with IRAP for this, so I'm not sure if it is used for suspensory injury but your vet will advise you. I'm not sure which treatment worked but a prolonged rest was key, according to my vet. I am happy to say that he is still sound 10 months on from his return to work :):)
 
Sounds like a very unorthodox rehab programme. My mare aggravated both hind suspensories in May. She had two loads of steroids injected in 3 weeks apart, complete box rest till August (10ish weeks in total), walking inhand and restricted turnout building up daily then hacking began last week of august. Back in full work now, very fit and feeling fantastic. Vet is thrilled with her progress....had our first jump sat and will hopefully return to competition first week of Nov. Now given that my mare's injury would not have been as severe as your horses I would really question how quickly and how high a level of work yours has been expected to do
 
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