Barbaro - why surgery?

[saddlesurfer]

I just rec’d an email from a good friend at SYNTHES, N.A. & thought I’d pass it on as it containes some info on the hardware used.

As many of you have heard, the most heartbreaking story of the weekend was the breakdown of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in the Preakness horse race on Saturday. Fortunately due to the incredible care Barbaro has received since the injury, he has a chance to survive his devastating injury. And Synthes has played a role in this story.

The treating veterinary surgeon, Dr. Dean Richardson is a longtime AO Faculty member, Synthes friend and strong proponent of LCP plating for horses. His experience with LCP over the past year has shown his horse patients to be more comfortable after surgery with LCP. Consequently he now routinely plates with LCP and Barbaro is no exception.

Barbaro underwent a 5 hour procedure last night repair many severe fractures to his hind ankle. Dr. Richardson elected to fuse Barbaro’s ankle joints using a 4.5mm Broad LCP using predominantly locking screws. It is still very earlier in the long road to recovery for Barbaro but it is reassuring to know he has the best care in the world at New Bolton Center and Synthes implants.

[monstrpony]

Daydream Believer

The humanist (or animalist, I guess) in me agrees with you, but the experimentalist really wants to see how this will all come out. Given that the joint will be fused–assuming it does go ahead and fuse completely–I wonder if the arthritic discomfort issues won’t be minimized. Who knows whether he’ll be able to breed or not–but that’s just it, who knows? Maybe he will. Yes, it’s a lot to put an animal through, and I’d never be able to afford to do it (so I guess it’s a good thing it happend to the Jackson’s horse and not mine, if it had to happen at all), so I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and just wait and see if it works. If it all goes to he!! and the horse is suffering, I’m pretty confident they’ll do the right thing, given the number of “right things” that have happened in reaction to that one very wrong thing.

But, in a very real way, it’s just an experiment; a wild, glorious, expensive, high-risk, nerve-wracking, “because we can” … experiment. And, sometimes, experiments undertaken by well-prepared people, well, they work. Wouldn’t that be glorious?

[charlieo]

The decision to euthanize or not goes to the quality of life the horse will have during and after recovery. I have spent inordinate (for me) amounts of money at New Bolton, mostly on a horse I was told to euthanize, a gelding with fractured hock and torn collateral ligaments. Dean Richardson spent a good deal of time detailing for me what my horse would be able to do/not do following surgery. To me the only important thing was that with/after the surgery and healing he would have very little pain. Yes, he told me (and I knew) there would be arthritis – yes, he explained all the limitations. Beau is 14 this year. He’s still sound although not perfect. I have never regretted the decision to operate. Why would Barbaro’s owners not feel the same way? Why wouldn’t they TRY to save their horse if they could? They may or may not have to make the decision about his quality of life in the next months, but why not give him a chance? They are horsemen. When and if his life degenerates into endless pain they will make the final decision. I can only hope they will never be faced with that decision.

[LJD]

While it is a lot to put an animal through, it appears from the articles I have been reading that Barbaro has been an examplary patient and that none of this has been too stressful on him. His easy going nature has worked out in his favor. I can’t imagine a lot of other colts behaving as calmly. I’m assuming he is heavily medicated too?

I’m mpressed that the Jacksons are horsemen. I had no idea that they were involved in the TB retirement/wellness program or that the wife worked closely with New Bolton. Have the Jacksons had a long involvement in racing or is Barbaro one of their first big stars?

[Regalmeans]

@Glimmerglass

There was a little less of a “where should we go, what should we do” type of response. I presume if this occured at Belmont they would have either selected Cornell or also opted for UPenn, both further away then Pimlico is to New Bolton.

Just to clarify, UPenn IS New Bolton - UPenn owns it, runs it, and their vet students help staff it. Cornell is probably closer to Belmont (New Bolton is in very southern PA, near Delaware) but I think New Bolton has quite a reputation for orthopedics. Plus of course, the Jackson’s connections made it the obvious choice.

[adventurebeachponies]

Barbaro’s pain is being managed by a spinal pump and he will be kept comfortable.

All creatures, human and animal have a strong desire to live and Barbaro is no different … given the opportunity to fully understand his options do you think he would have opted to be put down?

Horses with fused ankles and mended broken bones can have very happy lives…trust me that this stallion will have a better life than probably 80% of the planet (and that includes humans) if he survives. He will have the very best of everything, stalls, turnout, companions, hay, feed and all the mares he can possibly handle!

If he ever reaches a point of suffering the family will do the right thing… I am confident of that.

@LJD

While it is a lot to put an animal through, it appears from the articles I have been reading that Barbaro has been an examplary patient and that none of this has been too stressful on him. His easy going nature has worked out in his favor. I can’t imagine a lot of other colts behaving as calmly. I’m assuming he is heavily medicated too?

I’m mpressed that the Jacksons are horsemen. I had no idea that they were involved in the TB retirement/wellness program or that the wife worked closely with New Bolton. Have the Jacksons had a long involvement in racing or is Barbaro one of their first big stars?

[adventurebeachponies]

Barbaro’s pain is being managed by a spinal pump and he will be kept comfortable.

All creatures, human and animal have a strong desire to live and Barbaro is no exception … given the opportunity to fully understand his options do you think he would have opted to be put down?

Horses with fused ankles and mended broken bones can have very happy lives…trust me that this stallion will have a better life than probably 80% of the planet (and that includes humans) if he survives. He will have the very best of everything, stalls, turnout, companions, hay, feed and all the mares he can possibly handle!

If he ever reaches a point of suffering the family will do the right thing… I am confident of that.

@LJD

While it is a lot to put an animal through, it appears from the articles I have been reading that Barbaro has been an examplary patient and that none of this has been too stressful on him. His easy going nature has worked out in his favor. I can’t imagine a lot of other colts behaving as calmly. I’m assuming he is heavily medicated too?

I’m mpressed that the Jacksons are horsemen. I had no idea that they were involved in the TB retirement/wellness program or that the wife worked closely with New Bolton. Have the Jacksons had a long involvement in racing or is Barbaro one of their first big stars?

[adventurebeachponies]

Barbaro’s pain is being managed by a spinal pump and he will be kept comfortable.

All creatures, human and animal have a strong desire to live and Barbaro is no exception … given the opportunity to fully understand his options do you think he would have opted to be put down?

Horses with fused ankles and mended broken bones can have very happy lives…trust me that this stallion will have a better life than probably 80% of the planet (and that includes humans) if he survives. He will have the very best of everything, stalls, turnout, companions, hay, feed and all the mares he can possibly handle!

If he ever reaches a point of suffering the family will do the right thing… I am confident of that.

[LessIsMore17]

I think

a huge reason WHY they are trying to save him (and I wish them/ him all the best) is because it was the Preakness and he was a HUGE favorite and most all of America was watching.

If this had happened during the Kentucky Derby do you guys think they would have acted differently?

[Ridge_Runner]

@monstrpony

The humanist (or animalist, I guess) in me agrees with you, but the experimentalist really wants to see how this will all come out.

But, in a very real way, it’s just an experiment; a wild, glorious, expensive, high-risk, nerve-wracking, “because we can” … experiment. And, sometimes, experiments undertaken by well-prepared people, well, they work. Wouldn’t that be glorious?

Yes, I agree with you to some extent. I just hope and pray that they really will do the right thing if it becomes obvious that he’s not comfortable and that money (ie stud fees) are not and never will be a consideration over the welfare of this wonderful horse. I think it would be glorious to see him live out his life in comfort and breeding mares and making little champions…I just think it’s far fetched and the odds are against him. This 50/50 chance of recovery stat they are putting out, I think, is the odds of him just surviving the surgery and the short term…not necessarily his odds for a “normal” retired life and standing as a stallion. He has so much to overcome.

[The_Fjord_Jockey]

Actually, Karla hit it right on the money.

The horse is insured for 3 million, I believe. When a horse is worth that much and suffers a life threatening injury, the insurance company essentially takes over. Not saying that Barbaro’s crew didn’t want the same, however, if they hadn’t, they would not have had much of a choice.

The insurance company wants to make sure that every possible measure has been taken to save the horse.

[SafeHorses]

Who knows if he’d broken down in the Derby what they would have done…I think they would have done whatever they could to save him. He’s a homebred and was their pride and joy even before the Derby.

I remember that there was a gelding in CA that won a claiming race and then broke down after the wire. He was claimed out of that race and usually the new connections will put a horse in that situation down. But, the horse’s former connections offered to pay the claiming price and take back the gelding and nurse him back to health. These people obviously have more money than me, since they run racehorses, but they weren’t on the Jackson’s level. Why did they do it? Because they loved him and wanted to save him.

It isn’t always about the money or fame…sometimes owners do everything they can to save a horse because they want for the horse’s sake. I think love of the animal has a lot to do with making a decision like the Jacksons made on Saturday.

[buschkn]

I think it’s wonderful that he has been given this chance. He seems to be handling it with aplomb, and is thus far the model patient. I think these people really care about their horse, and I bet they will have been happy to spend it even if he just lives out his days in some field. He gave them a fantastic Derby win and the dream and possibility of a Triple Crown, and he is a magnificent animal, why shouldn’t they try to save him?

Also- Daydream Believe, I am not sure you fully understand the mechanics of the surgery/injury. He will not be “dragging” that leg around if he recovers, and he really shouldn’t have ANY arthritis if the fusion takes. Arthritis is a problem in the joint, and with a fusion, you are effectively eliminating the joint. People with severe arthritis often have joint fusions (in certain joints only, of course) to try and reduce the pain. IF he recovers fully and the bones heal and fuse as is hoped, he should be a fairly comfortable guy in the long run. Let’s hope that is the case.

I for one am thrilled that they decided to try and operate. Also, as someone else said, only by pushing the envelop in medicine can we determine what is and isn’t possible. Jingling for a miraculous recovery!!

[sporthorsefilly]

@whbar158

Although he is a stallion of good bloodlines and has a lot to pass on as a stud and is worth a lot of money from that, but with a hind leg injury standing stud is a long shot. .

In 1971 Hoist the Flag had a similar injury. He was also operated on and a piece of bone grafted from his hip to repair a shattered P1. Dr. Jacque Jenny who did the 5 hour surgery, along with 5 other colleagues, later was the mastermind of the recovery pool that the U of P uses.

Ruffian’s surgery was successful…the recovery was not. She reshattered the leg, coming out of the anesthesia. Had she recovered in a pool, she might have survived, but the trip to the U of P would have taken too long, and so they operated at Dr. Reed’s hospital at Belmont.

The hundred thousand who saw this accident at Pimlico cried and I believe their were many viewers, myself included without a dry eye. No one wants to lose a “dream hero” in this way. All I could think of this morning was “how did the surgery go.” Yes, it was important for Barbaro to be saved, if for no other reason, because he touched the hearts of so many and gave us hope for the elusive Triple Crown.

[LessIsMore17]

@SafeHorses

Who knows if he’d broken down in the Derby what they would have done…I think they would have done whatever they could to save him. He’s a homebred and was their pride and joy even before the Derby.

The more I hear and read about the Jackson’s I think they would have tried to save him no matter what race it happened in, which is nice to know.

[Ridge_Runner]

@buschkn

Also- Daydream Believe, I am not sure you fully understand the mechanics of the surgery/injury. He will not be “dragging” that leg around if he recovers, and he really shouldn’t have ANY arthritis if the fusion takes. Arthritis is a problem in the joint, and with a fusion, you are effectively eliminating the joint.

You’ve got to think more on the big picture and think of more than his fetlock.

No, I understand that the fetlock will not flex and he will have to pick up his foot higher to avoid dragging the foot. I also understand that his fetlock will be fused…only the fetlock and a couple of his pastern bones. Over years that increased stress on that hock is nearly certain to give him arthritis in that joint and the compensation for that weakness in one leg behind could give him all sorts of problems higher up. The whole horse’s body works together…that’s why sore hocks cause the back to hurt and even front suspensories in a “normal” horse.

With a TB breeding stallion, that will be even more of an issue. Live cover is hard on them and these TB stallions can stand to a lot of mares…much more than our sporthorse stallions. Figure Barbaro will breed at least twice a day for months if he stands to a full book of mares. That’s a lot of strain on him…on any stallion for that matter.

[InVA]

Can we be honest here? Barbaro (bless his heart) is probably nearly the nicest horse to step onto a racetrack in 30 years. He is comparable to Secretariat. Watch tapes of all of his races and you’ll see the same heart and power that he displayed in the Derby. The type of injury he suffered in the Preakness happens to racehorses all the time. But, not only is Barbaro valuable in terms of insurance money - he is valuable as a stallion and not just for CASH - His TALENT may be passed on to future Thoroughbreds, this is a huge thing. Sure they can afford to try to save his life for a career at stud but his progeny (bless them) will only improve any pedigree. don’t y’all agree?
let 's just hope he gets through this.

[Dow_Jones]

@Regalmeans

Just to clarify, UPenn IS New Bolton - UPenn owns it, runs it, and their vet students help staff it. Cornell is probably closer to Belmont (New Bolton is in very southern PA, near Delaware) but I think New Bolton has quite a reputation for orthopedics. Plus of course, the Jackson’s connections made it the obvious choice.

I don’t think Glimmerglass was at all confused about Penn and New Bolton. New Bolton is probably 3 hours from Belmont; Cornell is closer to 5 hours away.

It is wonderful that the Jacksons have given Barbaro a chance at survival-- and I’d hesitate to say that the sole reason they’ve done so is due to his potential as a breeding stallion. As a grandson of William Rockefeller, I doubt Roy Jackson needs the stud fees.

[Marieke]

Sadly a friend of mine had a gelding that shattered the P1 in over 10 pieces, due to a bad step, for what ever reasons. The insurance company took over immediately in the decisions. The owner wanted the horse to be put down, the initial vet wanted the horse to be put down, Cornell wanted the horse to be put down, yet it had the surgery.

After 6 month of misery, and terrible recovery and demise of sane horse, the owner just had the vet euthanize the horse and f@$% the insurance.

I bet the insurance company had a lot to do with this. Paying for the surgery costs them less then euthanizing the horse.

I have absolutely no respect for the insurance companies here.

[Lady_Counselor]

I’ve skimmed the thread here, so forgive me if I’m repeating something. But look at it this way. 30 years ago, even a far less serious injury would have been automatic euthanasia. Yes we are in uncharted territory here, but what if? If we never venture into uncharted waters, we won’t discover new territories. And perhaps the day will come when we can have the option to provide a good prognosis and a long term life that’s quality to a horse who would have otherwise been euthanized.
These horses work so hard for us. They give their heart and soul. I believe that any owner who had the means would have stepped up and tried to do right by their horse, whether that horse is a stallion, gelding or mare. Especially to a horse who has been as classy and gallant as this one has been. I have no doubt that his owner’s have been thinking of him from the start, him first and their own needs second. And if ever a horse deserved absolutely everything we could do for him , it’s this one.