OCD Surgery on Hocks- 7 Months Later Effusion & Warmth

[HorsinAroundEm]

My 4-year-old mare had hock surgery back in November '22. She was sent to a rehab facility for a month, then brought home and has been out in the pasture with no real work. It has been 7 months and her hocks still have fluid and warmth to them. She’s completely sound, always has been. I’m troubled by their size and warmth though.

She’s the first horse I’ve had with any real issues. I’m super paranoid to work her. She hasn’t been started under saddle yet. The constant worry of further damaging her has me so uncomfortable.

The vet said she can be worked, as long as she’s sound. They said I could do new x-rays, if I wanted.

Can anyone share their experience post OCD surgery? Did your horse always have larger hocks? Will they return to normal? Did your horse end up developing arthritis?

[bingbingbing]

Sorry you are going through this. I would do x-rays. Did your vet practice do the surgery? Was it a DIRT lesion?

I had a customer’s 3 year old horse stay with me after OCD surgery. He did the required stall rest and small turn out. And then did x-rays before starting under saddle and doing normal turn out. There was no warmth or effusion at this point.

[HorsinAroundEm]

Yes, the vet clinic did the surgery. The surgeon is well respected in our area. There was DIRT lesions on each hock. One was worse than the other. I believe that’s the leg with the most fluid. We were careful to do stall rest and small pasture turnout, as recommended.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I was under the impression that would be the case for my mare. That she would be totally normal afterwards. I guess it’s all a gamble with surgery though.