suspensory ligaments

little MJ said:
Thanks of course you can. Will this still work with it being a degeneration of suspensory ligaments and not just a simple injury? I was under the impression that the condition only progressively gets worse?
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obviously it is very dependant on the individual horse - in theory even a degenerative condition should be helped by the correct work - but its finding that correct balance, and the only way you'll know that, especially if you op, is to ultrasound on a very regular basis. in terms of work, my suggestion would be as much flat hacking as possible. hills are bad for suspensories (well, at least in the early stages)! as are soft surfaces and turns.

i would be having some very frank discussions with your vet - if it was their horse, would they operate? do you trust your vet? depending on insurance, is it worth throwing lots and lots of money at an injury that you are only ever going to patch together for a temporary amount of time? would your pony be happy as a field ornament? can you commit the time to doing all the rehab and box rest etc? all questions which i'm sure you are already asking yourself and your vet. I don't envy you at all, and i full well know the heartbreaking decision you are facing.

pm me if i can offer any further support x
 
Hey just though I'd let you know how were getting on!
We the insurance co are still dragging there feet. I've had his shoes taken off. the farrier said he's got really good feet with a good heal and balanced well now..... We'll see how we get on. I've decided he looks so happy I have to give him a chance and have the op done providing the insurance a gree to pay! Thanks so much for everyone's help. I'll let you all know how we get on. :D
 
The insurance have finally decided to pay for his operation!!!!! So happy!! Just hope it all go's well! Thanks for all your advise ps he seems a little bit better without shoes not sound but walking with more purpose and not all 'wobbly'
 
Wish you all the best with the op. I would be interested to know if it works and how you get on.
Do you know if there's any chance of nerves re-connecting, as it can do when navicular horses are de-nerved?
In case you're interested, this web site has lots of information about DSLD
http://www.dsldequine.info/ and also there is a link to a self help group.
 
wish you lots of luck. My lad had the surgery begining ofJan. he is about to come off box rest,

after the surgery the surgeon told me that he expects it to work 100% because that was the result they got when they nerve blocked

Fingers crossed for us all
 
My 17yo horse has spent 5 months on box rest, after numerous tests, bone scan, xrays etc and eventually a CT scan which showed small tears to the suspensory ligaments in his hind leg. After the diagnosis he had 3 lots of shockwave treatment and 3 months box rest. The vet came out for the assessment on wednesday and he was still 2/5 lame :( vet said i should probably retire him. I spoke to his vet yesterday and he said the only other option would be to try a block on sacroiliac joint which he said is hard on cobby horses. I've been told to monitor him on turn out for a month and see if any improvement.

It has been very upsetting, as he was perfectly fine - i had hacked him out one day and I came up the next day and he was severly lame :(
 
Just to update you on my horses progress.
The op went well, he arrived back home with pressage boots and bandages on from hoof to thigh. It was a challenge to keep them on as he kept rubbing his back legs together, But we managed.
He was on a walking program for 4 weeks being walked twice a day and increasing by 5 min every week. He was then turned out in a 15 x 15 meter area. For 2 hrs in the ever and walked in hand am (still increasing by 5 Mon every week).
Today the vet came out to see if he was sound. Unfortunately he isn't. :-(
Vets are having a chat as to wether more walking etc will help or if pts is all that's left.
So sad but I have tried everything!
If anyone has been in this situation I would like to here what you did or your thoughts.
I was hopeful the op would work as he was 100% sound when he was nerve blocked in this area.
Thanks for any help in advance.
 
have they nerve blocked and/or scanned again to confirm if the ligaments have healed any? if the op has worked in the sense that the horse can't feel the ligament any more, then he might be mechanically lame - ie the ligament just isnt' functioning properly but he can't actually feel it (in which case if you nerve block the ligament again, it won't actually make any difference to the lameness). if you nerve block and he goes sound, then its possible that the op hasn't actually removed all sensation to the ligament/theres something else wrong.

i wouldn't want to be making any decisions without at least another scan
 
Thanks dreams I will speak with vet tmw. The ultrasound scans were not that helpfull as his legs tend to fill so he had MRI scans 8 weeks ago just before the op. They showed nothing other than the ligament was swollen and had.Iregular areas.
 
Have they done hock x rays? After researching due to my horse having minor suss damage, Susp damage is often a secondary problems to hock problems. My lad has had shockwave therapy to his suspensories and steroid injections into his hock today as he improved when he had his suspensories blocked and then when they blocked his hocks the following day. X rays have shown slight arthritic changes in his hocks. He was only 1/10th lame so were hoping the shockwave therapy will work along side the medication of his hocks.

I'm just going to take it a step at a time, but its hard not to consider worst case scenario :(

Keep us up to date x
 
The mri showed minor changed which in warmbloods can be normal. And when they blocked his hocks there was no difference. Vets totally ruled out his hock as being a problem. Still waiting to hear from vets.
 
Just thought I'd update everyone that's helped me so far!
My horse was denurved in march this yr in both his hind legs. He then. Had several weeks to recover and started inhand walking. He was upto 40 min of walking a day when he went back to the vets for a check up. Unfortunately he was still lame! :-(
The vets advised dropping his walking down to 20 min and see if there was any improvement in 4 weeks
He was then sound.....YAY.....!!
he started a fitness program for 6 weeks but unfortunately went lame again last week :-(
Unfortunately I think we've come to the end of the road.
He is going to go and have nerve blocks done in the suspensory area and see if he is sound after his unfortunately I think its time
What does everyone think?
Thank you for all your help and advice so far it means a lot!
:-)
 
I am so so so sorry to hear this.

I posted quite early at the beginning of your thread saying my lad had just been diagnosed as well
We also had surgery. however it didn't' work and he had it in his front leg too. Vet said he was pretty sure he had degenerative ligament disease, which just gets worse and worse affecting lots of ligaments.
I tried retiring him but it was obvious he was in pain so I said good bye. he was only 8 and such a wonderful fun horse I miss him very much, but I know it was the right thing for him and you will make the right choice for your horse too

hugs whatever you decide
 
Thanks so much soulfull. I'm so sorry to hear about your horse... big hug....
My horse seems to be in discomfort too he piles his bed up and stands with his heals on this and his toes Ponting down. I am glad I've done all that I can. It will make it an easier decision when the time comes.
My horse has been fantastic such a character and has a wonderfull personalitie. I don't regret spending all that money but I do regret we can't make him better! Xx
 
As you say sounds like he is in pain. Has he got pads on back of his shoes to raise his heels as it sounds like that is what he is trying to do to ease the stress on the ligament
To be honest even with pads micah was still too sore
I probably made the hard decision to let him go before most people would have done. I did it just as he lost his spark. He had a real zest for life like no other horse I have ever met, everything was fun and interesting to him. Once he started to lose this I knew it was time, before he got really miserable
 
I'm gutted for you :(

I posted early on in this post about mine and I'm now in the same position as u were before op :(

My mind is in a spin and I have ran out of insurance money so hav no idea what to do?
 
LittleMJ, go for surgery if rest & shock wave haven't helped. Reasonable success rate. An unsound horse with PSLD has no use other than retirement on pain killers. If you can go for it.
 
Hvg my horse has had operation and isstill lame! :-( I have done everything. Iran out of insurance money in march and have Carried on but now winter is arriving and he is still in the same condition as 20 months ago when I started!
 
Horse 24-7 I'm sorry to hear that ...big hug.... I know how you feel and what your going through.
My decision has been made alittle easier as my horse only enjoys playing out for a short time before he brings him self in and get severe mud rash despite May different lotions and potions. He also has allergys in summer so retiring him to the field isn't an option for him. He is to bolshy and naught to be in and isn't even hacking sound!
I'm sure you will come to the right decision..... In time xx
 
Thank you, there's just such a mix out outcomes and don't want to spend my last savings on something that may not work :(

He's going in for renerve blocking on Monday to check he's suitable for surgery- he has mild arthritis in his hocks also so worrying that even if I get the susp right this will might still get the better of him?

My lad seems field sound so don't think he's as bad as yours? But if he retires I wouldn't have a horse to ride :(
 
Well, my horse came sound after 12 days rest. Started off for 2days at 20min walk 1 lap of trot 20x40 arena. He felt really good and vet said to drop down his initial work load he was on (45 min 30min walk 15 min trot) so I upped it too 30 min walk 5 min trot. More to keep him sain. He went lame on day 4 again so I rested him a day and trotted up the day after still lame. :-( going to have a chat with the vet tmw. So unsure where to go/ what to do!
 
Not sure if this will be of any help but...

nearly 2 years ago my mare was diagnosed with damaged suspensory ligaments. She was box rested with bute for a week and was still lame, we then took her to Bell equine and she was put on a further 8 weeks box rest with shockwave therapy 3 times during the box rest. This was a nightmare as she didnt like the box rest and decided to kill me during this time. She was then taken back to Bell and sadly was still lame. Surgery wasent an option for me and my Millie had very dropped fetlocks and the surgery would affect them so she had to sadly be PTS. I do however no someone who has had the surgery and it all went well so i think it depends on the horse and any other problems that they may have....sorry if that put a downer on you xx
 
My mare did her hind suspensory in feb,we have did 6 weeks box rest but then decided to just turnout for however long & see what happens.My vet has said it could take upto 18 months.If after this time she is not totally sound then i will have to make a decision on whether to PTS or keep as a field ornament.I have seen a huge improvement in the last 7 months but only time will tell.good luck & im sure you will come to the right decision for your horsey.xx
 
Just an update. Unfortunately my best friend was put down today. We took him back to the vets on Monday to find out why he was still lame. He has hind limb foot pain due to some kind of ligament damage ( he would need an mri scan) but as he only ever put the out side of his feet down the vets think it was his collateral ligaments. After a long discussion with the vets (they said they think he may have had a condition where his ligaments degenerateted) we decided to say good bye. My best friend who has taught me so much and have had so much fun together is now galloping free in horsey heaven.
Thanks for all your help! Xx
 
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