Suspensory Ligament problems.....

[scotsmare]

I have an ex event mare on loan who did her suspensory ligament last year. Had much box rest etc and came to me for hacking / bit of dressage. Have given her lots of slow work to build the leg up and it now looks like the ligament has gone again! Am waiting for the vet to scan again but has anyone else had this problem?

 

[Oldred]

Yup!

 

[scotsmare]

What happened to your horse? Did it recover?

 

[SDH]

Yes, thats happened to my horse. Last August he was lame, it was diagnosed as arthritus in knee. Treatment was steriod injection to knee joint and then exercise to keep it supple. He went out on loan as a "happy hack" in March and within 2 weeks was lame again. I insisted he went to the hospital this time - they diagnosed suspensory ligament (but very high up the knee) they can't find any evidence of arthritus and think the august incident was the suspensory .... so he's on 3 months box rest ......
becuase he was given wrong treatment last time around, thats why they think he has done it again
but they have only given 50-60% chance of making a full recvoery and its likely the area will forever be weak and prone to re-injury

 

[SDH]

oh forgot to mention - he manged to re-injure it again becuase the loanee lunged him (and for arthritus and suspensory, my vets advised agaisnt too many tight circles)

 

[scotsmare]

That's not good. Horse going to hospital on Thursday for scan but have decided to put her in foal as it's not fair to her to keep bringing her back to work when she'll ultimately go lame.