Tie back surgery - your experiences please

[TakeAChance]

My horse has been showing progressive exercise intolerance over the past few months and has developed a whistling noise on inspiration at anything more than a trot. Had him scoped last week and he has laryngeal hemiplegia. Vet also listened to him in fast work and is referring him to Geoff Lane. Her guess is that going by the scope result, the noise he makes and his degree of intolerance of fast work, he will most likely need a tie back rather than just a Hobday.

I'd kind of geared myself up for him needing a Hobday and did a lot of research about it, but now I'm worrying as a tie back seems a much bigger deal.

I'd be grateful to hear your experiences, good and bad, of tie back surgery.

Thanks for reading

 

[*hic*]

My big lad apparently had a very successful tie back operation before I bought him. He seems fine in himself, can compete to a reasonable level and we notice no effects other than he can't call properly.

As a precaution he is always fed from the ground.

 

[TakeAChance]

Thank you Dee, this is just the sort of feedback I need to hear!

 

[Honey08]

My friend's horse had it last winter. The horse made a lot of noise before, and seemed to struggle for air when cantering. She also struggled to keep weight on. She has been much better since, although still does make some noise. She has a lot more condition on her and is generally in better health..

ps. didn't take as long to return to work as I expected either..

 

[FfionWinnie]

My big lad apparently had a very successful tie back operation before I bought him. He seems fine in himself, can compete to a reasonable level and we notice no effects other than he can't call properly.

As a precaution he is always fed from the ground.

Used to ride a 18hh hanoverian and same story. He was much better after it.

 

[TakeAChance]

Thank you for these positive stories, I'm feelin a bit better about it already, although I'm sure someone will some along with a horror story in a moment and burst my bubble!

I'm not bothered about the noise remaining after surgery, it's not that loud anyway, I just want him to be able to canter more that 10 strides without running out of steam

 

[TakeAChance]

Bump

 

[swilliam]

There's a horse on my yard that had one when his owner bought him 8 years ago at 17 yrs old. He hacked out and competed at local level until three years ago, and then arthritis stopped him, not his tieback. Agree with feeding on ground as much as possible, and his whinny is pathetic, but he's still going strong.

 

[Goldenstar]

One of mine has had a partial tie back , he arrived with it did have a cough so we do very careful dust management hes fine I don't think he would run in the grand national but has a normal life gallops, jumps he does have the odd cough after travelling and sometimes you see a little gunk in the water bucket as he always has a drink after work vet said to ignore it.

 

[thatsmygirl]

My lad had 2 which both failed and he can't even neigh now. But he hacks and hunts fine anyway

 

[TakeAChance]

Sorry to hear yours wasn't sucessful thatsmygirl, but pleased to hear your horse is out and about hunting regardless

 

[ZondaR]

One of mine has had a partial tie back , he arrived with it did have a cough so we do very careful dust management hes fine I don't think he would run in the grand national but has a normal life gallops, jumps he does have the odd cough after travelling and sometimes you see a little gunk in the water bucket as he always has a drink after work vet said to ignore it.

My friend had it done on his horse, full tie back, not partial but otherwise exactly as GS says above re/ the dust, the bit of gunk and the little cough. His only complaint is that his horse is stronger and performs a LOT better and probably would run in the grand national. The horse is now 20 and will be retiring next year and Friend has bought a new young horse that failed the vetting on the basis that he will need a hobday/tieback. Didn't put Friend off as he has had such a positive result with the other horse from the proceedures. He will be getting it done in May or June 2013.

 

[cptrayes]

No problem. never even had to feed him from the floor. he was slightly more likely to get a snotty nose but my vet let me keep a dose of trimethoprim handy so I could get on top of it quickly if it happened. Horse was completely different in character once it was done and much less spooky and could stay forever out hunting

 

[TakeAChance]

Ooh, I'm so loving all these positive experiences Thank you everyone for sharing

 

[Polos Mum]

My boy had one years ago (before I got him) so I can't help with the actual proceedure but it doesn't stop him doing anything at all. If I didn't know he'd had it done the only evidence is his strangled sounding neigh (which means I always know when it's him calling from the trailer at a big show), I feed him whatever seems necessary, keep him on straw and have never had any problems with it at all.

 

[Bosworth]

my boy had a hobday and tieback as a 3 year old, he is now 15 and no problems at all withit. He has never choked, or got infections. i feed from the floor, but then I always do with my other horses as well. He is sound, healthy and has hunted, and evented with no problems at all.

 

[popeyesno1fan]

My neighbours tb mare had a tie back and was hobdayed two years ago. She's now in training to race, and is doing really well. It seems to really work. x

 

[Rose Folly]

One of my livery horses is an ex-'chaser (a good one) who had this surgery. He came out of racing and point-to-pointed successfully but has now been retired for hacking to my friend.

As I didn't know the horse in the past I can't comment on improvement or not. But this chap seems pretty good. The only sad thing is that he can't whinny (just makes a pathetic "whoofing" noise, and can then get upset as nobody answers him because they haven't heard him)!

When he drinks, some water comes back down his nose. It doesn't seem to distress him, but it's not very attractive in the communal water trough.....

He has his hard feed and his hay off the floor anyway as that's how we feed. He seems to thoroughly enjoy a gallp but of course nothing sustained is asked of him. Hope this might be some help.

 

[TakeAChance]

Thanks again everyone for sharing your stories, I'm not feeling quite so worried about my boy going through it now.

Can anyone remember how much the surgery cost?

 

[StormyGale]

its usually around 1500 give or take a hundred depending ibm where u are sedation etc recovery usually 6 -8 weeks try not to worry too much race yards do tie backs and hobdays now sometimes as standard procedure. my horse actually major improved after his

 

[TakeAChance]

Thanks StormyGale

 

[alfiesmum]

tieback and hobday, very successful and i think i do believe it was the same surgeon. he even stopped at the end of the day when we arrived and had a good chat with us, very nice man!
good luck

 

[thatsmygirl]

Although my lads never worked iv never had any problems with choke or anything. He makes a noise in heavy work but the fitter he is the better he is. And the fact he has no voice does not stop him from being heard believe me as he grunts at me

 

[3BayGeldings]

It's fairly standard in racing, I wouldn't hesistate to have it done to my horse if reccommended, I'm sure he will be fine. Good luck

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We recently had 4 of them done in the yard. 3 have worked very well, the other not so much yet but the horse needs to lose a few more pounds and start looking like a racehorse rather than a show cob before we see the full effects lol!

All very straight forward, no complications.

The recovery period is 6-8 weeks. 3 weeks in a box, the next few out in hand walking then turnout and gradual build up into work again. You will also get the pleasure of cleaning the hole twice a day everyday - something I avoid like the plague! I can deal with broken bones, gaping wounds, deathsdoor injuries et al but give me a wind op to clean? Boke!!! Thank goodness no one tubes them anymore! They really are revolting! Sorry Just giving you the full picture and what you get to look forward to

Geoff Lane is THE best wind surgeon in the country. He has been trusted with all of the greatest ( and some not so great!) racehorses and the boss won't allow anyone else to op her horses now. Your hors will be in the very, very best of hands with Geoff.