TIA-big WB colt-144lbs at 10 days. Contracted and vet says to incise check ligaments. Farrier and nutitionist prefer turnout and let nature correct it. Colt up and about, but legs still slightly curved-like shallow parentheses.
what is your experience w/surgery vs. Turnout.
Every vet I’ve ever talked to has recommended against surgery except as a last resort. Have you done tetracycline/ splints/ trimming?
Me too.
We’ve only had a couple of that needed intervention. Depending on the individual sometimes just wrapping which gives “heat” will give good results. A “Tet” injection and wrapping, limited turn out, and splints at times. Depends on the foal.
But there are extreme cases that should have surgery. IMO 10 days is a bit long to start taking action. But usually within the window of opportunity.
I’ve always been told that tetracycline should be given in the first few days after they are born (like up to four or five).
I agree with everyone above. I’ve had contracted and windswept, and I would never do surgery. My contracted filly was just wrapped and tertracycline.
Can you post a picture showing how contracted he is?
Unless it’s really major, to the point he’s on his toes and buckling over, can’t really walk well, etc, surgery at 10 days is really a bad idea IMHO.
There are still a LOT of things that can be done. Stalled at night and as often as necessary during the day to “force” him to quiet down and rest some. Make note of how relaxed/contracted he is first thing in the morning (after resting more, by default, at night) and how long it takes to contract more as he moves and gets tired.
What is the dam eating? It may be worth the ideal of having her milk tested (I know Progressive Nutrition will do this, or at least they did when Don Kapper was there and I just assume they still do) to formulate a plan, but at the very least work on Rejuvenaide or Rejuvenaide Plus for him. Many of these can be worked out with increased nutrition without increased calories, so the ideal is starting with what the mare is producing, changing what she’s eating if necessary, and the Rejuvenaide.
There are a couple of other similar products - Buckeye has Foal Aide, and I know there’s at least one more but I forget who has it. Seminole maybe?
Sometimes you want to do a stiff full leg wrap for the night, or even a couple days at a time, effectively a “soft splint” but without anything stiffer than wrapping material.
It would be good to have the farrier involved at this point too just to be aware of what the situation is. It’s critical to know when to trim heels, IF they should be trimmed, and if so, how much. You can’t necessarily just take the heels all the way down in an effort to “stretch” the leg, as that tires things out and can lead to more contraction. But you also don’t necessarily want to just let them keep growing, if he’s even to the point of not bearing any weight.
Thank you! I will try and grab some stills from vid. Came home from clinic looking better, but seems to have really relapsed over nite.
will try to post photo…but kinda busy!
It is possible pain from the contracted tendons may be present. NSAIDS may be useful if used carefully. Keep in mind foals may develop ulcers.
Speak to your vet.
Congrats on the new baby!
Did he go from a stall at the clinic to lots of turnout at home? Restricted or limited turnout is often recommended for contracted tendons, over lots of turnout. Stall rest with several short periods of turnout, or small paddock turnout (like 24x24). It might not be too late to try the Tet and wraps. Even just trying wraps for a few days in a stall might help. Keep foal out of soft deep bedding and footing, so he can’t stand on his toes. Farriers experienced with foals with contractions can apply glue on foal shoes to the toe to help stretch the tendons.
Ok, that is on the more severe side for sure. Ouch. I still don’t think you’re in the range of surgery yet. I DO think this needs to be evaluated by a good equine hospital - is there any of those reasonably close? Splints may very well be necessary right now.
Definitely restricted turnout. The foal I had with contracted tendons had turnout restricted to 15 minutes 2 x day. The vets at UC Davis also wanted wrapping, 12 hours on and 12 off. She recovered uneventfully but it took awhile. No tetracycline. She wasn’t as bad as your foal, but in the same ball park.
Oh wow. That is extreme. At first I thought the second and third photos are his hind legs and that they are also contracted and that he was standing on his hind toes. That really is quite severe. Are the bones in his front legs formed properly and this is just a tendon issue? From the fetlocks on down, his legs look almost backwards. I can see why he might require surgery.
He also has cannon bones offset from his knees, right might turn out more than left. But this is the least of his worries.
I’m confused. The photo of the front legs looks bad, but from there, the hind legs look OK and are white. Then there are photos of the hind legs that look almost backwards, but they’re not the same hind legs as there is no white on them. The last one of the just the hind legs looks like the hoof is turned backwards and doesn’t match the second view of the hind legs.
Are those of the same foal?
Regardless, timing is imperative. The bones in the hoof close within a few months, and then move up. You want to get those straightened out right away before they ends close. My windswept filly had goof extensions and restricted turn out to make sure she was straight. At seven, she is perfect. In a different way, I would say her windswept feet were as severe as those front legs. I can’t figure out that last picture of the hind legs.
Not the same foal. Very strange group of photos. Regardless, I agree with JB that the foal(s) in the photos should be seen at a good Equine hospital if at all possible.
The “last” picture if of front legs. lol. But I thought at first look they they were hind legs also and couldn’t figure out what was going on.
They’re all of the same foal. Normal group of photos of severely contracted front legs. First photo is a head on shot showing fronts and white hind feet. Second is from the side and shows fronts and one white hind. Third photo is a side view, showing just the front legs, chest and shoulder.
I feel for horsegurl and what she’s going through with this little guy. This is a very serious and severe case. How’s he responding to more oxytet? Jingles!
Thank you everyone. All pics are same horse. Seems 24 hrs out of splints and relapsed a bit-3rd pic. More oxcy today and another new baby on the ground! We think we know so much, until something happens that we haven’t yet experienced. Will post update when things are better. Thanks again.
Second picture from the side may show “fronts and one white hind” but they sure as hell are not a photo of the legs of one and the same foal. Unless the OP is inadvertently wreaking havoc with the photo shop.
I would love for someone to shed light on that limb configuration (and I don’t mean the contractures) if it is indeed the same foal.
I feel for the poor foal as well, obviously there is a problem with one or more of the OP’s foals. The photos make no sense to me if this is supposed to be one foal.
Save photos?
Am I correct in assuming this was a congenital and not acquired? I think I’d be taking photos at least every other day to monitor changes.
We were told by Purina years ago, that 80% of DOD’s are genetically predisposed to occur and only 20% were nutritionally induced.
Buckeye (when Don Kapper was still there) told us that 80% of DOD’s are nutritionally induced and 20% were genetically predisposed to occur, however the 20% could be managed with proper nutrition.
From what I’ve seen and learned over the years, I lean towards Buckeye’s (Don’s) way of thinking and managing DOD’s. Simply stated, if poor nutrition was a contributing factor, then good nutrition could help correct if caught early enough.
It sounds like you’ve been doing the tetracycline/splint treatment for a number of days with limited success based upon your photos. If after 14 days, the tetracycline is not helping, I’d probably cease due to possible side effects.
Have you or your nutritionist assessed the mares diet? Since copper is the probably the most important trace mineral for elasticity of connective tissue (tendons), how much supplemental copper from feed is the mare getting per day?
As I’d previously mentioned in your post in Horse Care, and as JB had mentioned earlier, I would definitely get this foal on Rejuvenaide Plus or Leg Aide from your vet. Based upon the photos, I’d start administering at 4x’s the recommended dosage for 30 days.
IMO, if this foal’s contracted tendons was due to a nutritional deficiency, any intervention in the way of drugs, splints, surgery will be of little value unless that deficiency is corrected.
As far as turn out, I would turn out as much as possible unless the foal showed obvious signs of discomfort.
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