swollen fetlock - please help!

[RachelArris]

My sixteen year old welsh cob mare has suffered from windgalls in both hind legs for the past few years. I have been advised by my vet not to worry too much as they are not causing her any discomfort (but to be aware of them and avoid hard ground etc which could make them worse) The off hind one has grown and grown over the last few months to a MASSIVE size (it is like a large orange) and last week she went lame so I called him out to do an ultrasound scan on it.
The scan revealed alot of adhesions (scar tissue) within the lump and my vet has advised a tendonoscopy so that the cause of the problem can be identified and possibly the annular ligament cut to relieve the pressure that has built up.
For now she has been given bute and cold treatment and is on box rest with a pressure bandage (I had to use two bandages as one will not fit around the swelling!)
My concern is that invasive surgery seems rather drastic and costly and before I commit to it I wondered whether anyone has ever experienced something like this and what the outcome was. Pleases help!

 

[hellybelly6]

My horse had a tenoscopy as he had a hot and swollen fetlock. An ultrasound scan showed something up with his tendon, but it wasnt until he had a tenoscopy that the DDFT split was seen.

I was worried about the anaesthetic, but I am so glad my horse had the surgery. The tear was tidied up and he has made a great recovery, we are able to hack again.

I didnt jump him before his injury as he had bone spavin, but we are back to how we used to be and I do not think this would have been possible without the surgery.

I have a video of the surgery if you are interested to see what happens.

 

[RachelArris]

That is really encouraging - thank you. To know that you are both enjoying hacking together gives me some hope. The vet said that if she has the tenoscopy there is a chance she will be sound and I am prepared to retire her to the field if it doesn't go as well. Just really nervous about the whole thing!