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I feel ill … suspensory and now pastern problems

a month ago my 25 year old mare (history of cushings) came up with a high desmitis suspensory in her left hind… she’s now at a wonderful layup barn where she has been getting laser and stall rest and today was her 1 month follow up with my main vet. thankfully under ultrasound the top part of her suspensory near her hock is looking better, less swollen, etc

my vet noticed however that her pastern on the same leg has dropped somewhat and is somewhat painful on the lateral side … he is coming to recheck in two weeks and she will stay on stall rest staying on her normal equioxx dose, she’s not even on bute. we plan to run a course of shockwave therapy, apparently where it this is isn’t a good place for prp.

im not rehabbing her to ride again, only to be a pasture puff and have her comfortable. i had already asked at her visit 2 weeks ago if her suspensory was the result of just a freak accident or DSLD and he said it wasn’t DSLD, so i’m just sort of beside myself … i feel like at first everyone was talking about this like it was worse case scenario, but then they were saying she would still have several more quality years left as a pasture puff

i just don’t know what to think and wanted to know if anyone else had been through something similar… im worried her leg is going to deteriorate more … no one knows why it really happened, but obviously related prob to suspensory injury…

I had one who lived w me for years with an initial suspensory tear behind. He then developed DSLD and lived happily for years after that. His owner was very diligent about having top farrier work and egg bars behind. I hope this offers some help.

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when was her ACTH last checked to make sure her Prascend dose is appropriate?

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thank you so much

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this spring!

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my vet also said she isn’t a candidate for prp… i’m not sure why i was a little too out of it too ask, i’ll make sure to ask at her appointment in 2 weeks

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My understanding is DSLDd presents bilaterally. My 20 yr old mare was diagnosed several years ago. Egg bars on back, there has been some decline but slow. If yours is more likely related to the injury, you can likely take a breath. But then I don’t know how the Cushing will impact her ability to heal? I just started the mare on prascend and am a bit concerned about this on top of her other issues.

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it is such a hard thing . im thinking it’s not DLSD, per my vet but i’m such a nervous nelly. sorry to hear about your girl. i will do literally whatever she needs as long as she has quality of life and is comfy !

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I actually just retired her after diagnosis and turned her out…she also had a mild front bow😕. It’s been 4+ years, pasture sound on no nsaids.

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that makes me feel a little better, thank you :heart:

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Just spent money I barely had rehabbing a suspensory on my guy only for him to suddenly do something funky while trying to pick the other hind foot like something is messed up, reminding me of the same injury.

Sigh.

I cant afford it again, and I wont. Not even sure I can afford to diagnose what this other leg has.

He also cant go be a pasture puff and is my most expensive horse to maintain just day-to-day.

So yeah I get the sick feeling right now. I’m sorry

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:frowning: you don’t think he would stay sound as a pasture puff?

This can be a part of Cushings. My client with a Cushings horse has started altering her doses depending on the time of year as the disease changes with the seasons - this was something she decided to do on her own, but maybe something to discuss with your vet?

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He required 4 shoes before to stay sound, generally also with pads up front. In the winter I could sneak a few months barefoot. He definitely will require rear shoes forever now. His shoes must be clipped on because he will slide right out of them, often ripping hoofwall from the nail holes down. He also does this clips. Additionally he needs injections. His front feet dont match and that makes keeping everything else in line. He cant be turned out with anyone, he hurts himself even kept in a stall with a small run. He basically lives on trazadone.

The suspensory was his third rehab in the last two years, he tore a medial collateral twice in six months - the second time in the stall. And the vet dropped this bombshell on me a few months ago: he will prob be Cushing, as such he will continue to do this. I already support a 28 yo senior and two useless donkeys, one with significant lameness from a broken leg 8 years ago I’m trying to keep comfy as long as possible because the two donkeys are so bonded that losing one means losing two. So I feel sick and gross and sad, but also broke and because of ongoing medical care, I cant afford lessons etc with my sound horse.

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i wasn’t aware this would be related but it makes sense. thank you i will ask

it’s just horrible. im so sorry. gives me so many questions to ask as well…

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I mean I would have never bred him, he’s the product of someone who had a mare with an empty uterus. He’s goofy and generally kind and sweet, but a bubble off and fragile. It’s a crap place to be.

So yeah, I get it. Totally.

Take some conformation pictures from the side. If it’s DSLD their conformation changes and they become post legged behind.

DSLD can initially present in one leg, then progress to both legs.

Since this is an older horse, they do tend to develop health problems as they age. Without an obvious injury, I would definitely be concerned that something is going on. As for medical management, I kept my DSLD horse on full turnout and pain medication. That was it. I didn’t see a benefit to keeping her locked up in a stall. She did bow a tendon in the front and that was when I had her pts. By that point her DSLD was rather advanced and she had heart disease started.

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the more i’m reading about it, the more i’m thinking that this is what it is, and it’s breaking my heart. i don’t care if she’s 2 or 25, she’s my baby and i’ll do anything i can to keep her here as long as i can and keep her comfortable.

my head is just swimming with so many questions… my vet will be out in 2 weeks to do shockwave and i’m going to talk to him more about it then

how long did your horse live with DSLD before the bowed tendon? you didnt do anything special? shoes, wraps, etc?

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Nothing to add other than I feel for y’all going through this stuff. Not easy (and I’m right there with you, except regarding a young mare and kissing spine.)