Tendon Sheath

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a.bacon

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My 11y/o TB gelding tore his tendon sheath out in the field quite badly at the beginning of December 2011 :mad: I got the vet out and had it scanned and he confirmed he had. He then went on box rest for 3 whole months, bless him he was as good as gold until the last couple of weeks :) Due to him getting so frustrated I had to turn him out. He went out into a flat field with a companion to keep him calm. He was no trouble after an initial buck he settled down after 5 mins or so. He stayed out in this field for a month 24/7. I then turned him out into another field due to him overgrazing. He has been turned out since the middle of march 2012 and has been as quiet as a lamb. however the swelling in his hind where he tore his tendon sheath has come back and he has become careful on it. I would be greatful for anyone's past experiences on tendon sheath injuries and what people suggest i should do for my gelding. :confused:
 
Hi, my horse had a problem with his tenton sheath about two years ago it doesnt sound as serious as yours in the way that he didnt tear it just aggrevated it. I had my vet out as he wasn't using that leg properly but wasnt particualrly lame. She did lits of scans, etc and she recommended he have physio on it and to work him lightly which I did but when I increased his work it began to aggrevate it and so he had to have it operated on (if I only ever wanted to hack him the operation wasnt necessary but as I show and school he needed it doing).

He had the endoscopy a short while after and about two months box rest and has made an amazing recovery you would never know there was ever anything wrong, he doesnt have any swelling or scars. My suggestion would be to get your vet out again and get it re scanned if they can still see damaged tissue and its still imflamed then it's not getting any better and a new course of action needs to be followed.

Hope he gets better soon :)
 
Also if anyone has experienced this kind of injury, how well has their horse recovered? I am a keen hunter and that was my boys job, do you think he will be able to hunt again or is that a bit ambitious?
 
Big Fuzzy 6 weeks ago damaged the bottom of the tendon sheath on near hind.
Sound in walk, lame in trot
Long story short, vet out after a few days when I had tried to reduce the heat & swelling by kaolin & hosing etc on their advice
Scanned; nasty big black base of it, bits floating in the black hole too.
Vet wanted to operate, I said no as Big Fuzzy not a good patient (as proven over past few weeks).
Injected steroid into the sheath, box rest.
Next morning the hard huge egg was soft & reduced by about 25%.
Controlled walking for 2 x per day starting at 5 mins & after 5 days increasing by 5 mins for next 5 days and so on.
We are now at 30 mins 2 x a day, vet coming out tomorrow to re-scan & I will report back on what the state of it is.
Currently walking sound (as has been throughout).
Sound in straight line to trot up on hard surface (as had to check when jumped out of stable) and also checked after being out overnight before I got on to walk out.

Issues:
After 1 week of walking, BF becoming danger to herself & others, vet advises me to get on for walking, all settles.
After week 4, she jumped out of box.... so after check over (all fine) decided to turn out for 2 or 3 hours in 20 x 20 patch.
OK for 4 days, happy as pig in 5hit. Leg ok, still swollen, tho soft not hard & no heat
Last weekend, manners worse, turned her out on Monday for full day with Tiny Fuzzy - happy again as pig in wotsit. Been out in level not muddy paddock. Been seen by others to be just loafing about, no skid marks (as yet!)


Outlook: prognosis at start varied from field ornament, to light hack to being able to go x/c & pleasure rides etc. (which I do the latter).
Vet said we 'might' need another 1 or 2 steriod injections to follow to reduce unsightly swelling - and if it was not healing as it could.

So, await vet tomorrow...........
 
Update for you A.bacon

Had vet to Big Fuzzy today.
BF gone from 100% lame in trot 6 weeks ago to 9/10ths sound in trot, now got to carry on walking tho can ride for 30 to 40 mins a day (and just once - hurrah!! )
Can start trotting in 4 weeks, then vet back at end June (unless I need to call before then).
Vet cautious, see how it goes - could get more sound. But with horses as you know - anything can happen :rolleyes:
Vet did say that hunting next winter was not to be crossed off Big Fuzzies diary yet............
 
My old mare had a tendon sheath injury. On a foreleg, it caused only slight intermittent lameness, she sometimes appeared sound, but with a large swelling which receded after cold hosing, ice packs and box rest but came back once mare was allowed turnout. At 22 years old the vet was willing to operate and her owner agreed this was to happen. She had her op, then box rest, followed by walking out - took about 3 months. Mare was then turned out and came back into work very successfully and was even back jumping again at that ripe old age!
 
my mare severed her tendon sheath when she got kicked in the field, she had it flushed out 3 times at the vets and was on box rest for a few month, then was turned out in a tiny area, gradually getting bigger, until she jumped out one day so i just put her in the field with my other two! she was never ever lame despite it taking weeks to heal, it was leaking fluid and soaking her bandages every day. her bad leg did used to puff up quite abit but with no heat and her movement was slightly 'off' took her back to the vets and she passed 2 flexion tests and was lunged hard for a while, Vet said it would probably always be like that and to bring her back into work gradually, she went on to do unaffiliated sj and xc without any problems
 
Thank you all for your advice, I think I will get the vet out soon and see what he thinks but I am tempted to veryyyyy slowly bring him back into work. I will see what the vet thinks. Thanks :)
 
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