Hind limb suspensory desmitis surgery average cost??

[rossic]

I have a 17 year old (otherwise healthy) mare who has been diagnosed with bilateral hind suspensory desmitis. I formerly evented her up through Prelim and she has been teaching other kids for a few years. I do not need her to be in full work again, but would love if she could be worked back to w/t/c occasionally jump comfortably.

I know there are a couple surgical options (fasciotomy with plantar metatarsal neurectomy and desmoplasty, from what I understand) and then a couple of non-invasive therapy options like PPR and shockwave therapy.

In your experience, how much have these processes cost you? I’m especially interested in the surgery, if I can afford it.

[flyracing]

The surgery range is $800-$2500 depending on the area of the country and the clinic. $1200-$1500 is probably most common for a bilateral fasciotomy and neurectomy.

[Gilbo]

PRP runs $800 and up depending on where you are and who is doing it. Shockwave therapy costs about $300 per use.

[NicNJr]

I am also looking at surgery on both hind legs. My TB is only 6. Wondering if you had this surgery done and was it successful? What did it ultimately cost you?

[quietann]

Surgery + PRP on one hind suspensory cost around $2500 for my mare – but follow-up care basically doubled this. This was in 2010, in a very expensive part of the country, at a specialty vet practice that helped develop the surgery. I would definitely try to pin down the cost up front. For my mare, it was worth it.

[joiedevie99]

All in I paid about $5500 for one leg, including stem cells and a few extra days in the hospital due to a fever (expensive area and specialty practice as well).

$500 for the pre-op work-up/overnight the day before surgery.
$3500 for surgery day including stem cells
~$1500 for the next four days of hospital stay/bandage changes/meds/etc.

[Samantha37]

I do insurance claims for a living and I would say the surgery alone is about $2000-$2500 for both hind legs. You need to add to that any additional treatments you do such as PRP (usually about $1,800-ish) or stem cell (usually around $3k) or shockwave (varies widely across the country- can be as low as $300 and as high as $800 per treatment) plus hospitalization (which as the above poster mentioned, can end up being longer than anticipated)

My horse had huge holes in BH suspensory ligaments that were discovered in 2010 and we did the fasciotomy, plantar neurectomy and PRP and back then the surgery plus PRP was about $4k- done in Virginia at a private clinic (aka, not the cheapest).

The surgery is the best option if the injury is severe or old (which my horse’s were severe and chronic so it was about as bad as it gets) and I would say if the injury is a strain/slight tear and new, you could probably get by with shockwave and PRP.

My horse was 7 when he had the surgery (is a former steeplechaser) went back to eventing (Novice level competition, schooled Training level everything) and is now, at age 15, doing 3rd level dressage and starting to work on canter pirouettes.

[mellsmom]

samantha37… so glad to hear he is still going stong!

[SundayFunday]

After years and years of trying to pin down what is going on with my mare(chronically short behind with absolutely perfect joint radiographs) clinic identified enlarged and one ugly (mineralization and scar tissue on the right) high suspensory. I’m debating surgery but also cautiously approaching as this is not an obvious tear or recent injury. She is also not overtly lame but this does obviously impact movement and jumping. Anyone have a similiar situation or thoughts on this? She is 14 and otherwise extremely healthy and talented.