Proximal Suspensory Surgery Advice - Updates at end

[merrygoround]

We turned out in a roundpen first, then went to a small flat paddock. In hindsight, I wish that rather than continue handwalking we had gone to undersaddle walking first.

We did use reserpine, with very good results, but it did take way more than we started with initially. We are now weaning off it slowly. Very slowly, as this is a horse who pre and post injury can be volatile. However, if your turnout is only for an hour, injectable Ace, given under the tongue 45-60 min before turn out, will hold him for an hour. Possibly a problem in your barn, if they are not too willing to be helpful.

Now that we are trotting so much, it is only in the cool out phase, when we hack out that that volatility is an issue.

Another thought! Where you live there should be boarding options where the staff, or BO is more helpful.

[jreventer]

Proximal suspensory surgery

I will chime in with my experience.

My tb had surgery on one hindlimb two years ago. The whole process with him was complicated by a fracture of the third trochanter of his femur at the same time as his suspensory injury. So after five months of stall/paddock rest for that he had a neurectomy and fasciotomy done. He was also treated with PRP at the same time. He did not have a core lesion in his suspensory but had uptake on a bone scan at the insertion and had enlargement of the proximal suspensory. He was also treated with tildren at the time of surgery (again complicated hx but all of his issues started when he was on lease and had a trailer accident, so he had multiple issues at once)

The initial plan was 4 weeks stall rest, 4 weeks stall rest and handwalk, 4 weeks small paddock, walk under saddle, then slow return to work. Unfortunately, he had a severe reaction the sutures and ended up having another surgery to debride the incision. His incision took a long time to heal and all total I think he had four months stall rest. He was started back to work 5 months post surgery. He ended up being in wraps longer as well because of the incision. He was improved but still lame until probably 7 months post surgery. The surgeon wasn’t sure if that was from the incision or suspensory.

I gave him to friends to trail ride, and so he has been in light work the past year and a half. I just got him back and he is very sound, but not in heavy work. He feels better under saddle then ever.

Was a long road for him and thank goodness for insurance, but so far so good. He has a pretty obvious scar/thickening but definately had a pretty severe reaction to the sutures. In his case I think his conformation contributed (straight hindlimb, dropped fetlock) so he will be a low level/trail horse only.

[quietann]

bfne – there is turnout and there is turnout. Mine went out for 4 to 6 hours per day in a small pen made of 6 stock panels – basically the area of 2 stalls – at 2 months post-surgery, but I did not get on her until 8 months post-surgery. She got Ace and was watched pretty closely since the pen was right next to the barn. She had a long complicated rehab but it had nothing to do with her T/O; in fact, putting her outside was the best possible thing for her mentally and did not hurt her physically.

She’s doing quite well now… she needs her hocks injected sometime in the next couple of months, but does WTC and adjustments within gaits very nicely now, and we are doing a bit of counter-canter and lateral work. The limitinf factor for her as a dressage horse is me! And still trail riding, where she’s just awesome.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

@quietann;6032537

bfne – there is turnout and there is turnout. Mine went out for 4 to 6 hours per day in a small pen made of 6 stock panels – basically the area of 2 stalls – at 2 months post-surgery, but I did not get on her until 8 months post-surgery. She got Ace and was watched pretty closely since the pen was right next to the barn. She had a long complicated rehab but it had nothing to do with her T/O; in fact, putting her outside was the best possible thing for her mentally and did not hurt her physically.

She’s doing quite well now… she needs her hocks injected sometime in the next couple of months, but does WTC and adjustments within gaits very nicely now, and we are doing a bit of counter-canter and lateral work. The limitinf factor for her as a dressage horse is me! And still trail riding, where she’s just awesome.

I personally found my own horses still turned themselves inside out in even a small pen…hard enough to keep them from doing that in their stalls (and yes, I have used long term tranqs like reserpine). It wasn’t worth it and the farm they were at wasn’t quiet enough…nor did I trust that people would be able to safely bring them in quick enough if needed.

I’ve heard of others who have done the small pen…but IME with most boarding facilities, it isn’t always the best choice.

[Dubarry]

[QUOTE=vicarious;6031931]
Dubarry, you’re joining a very supportive group.

Any equine surgery is tough on the owner/caregiver, and having support is sooo useful.

The veterinarians are seldom the ones in the trenches, doing the day to day wrapping and rewrapping, medicating, and hand walking.

So, if you start with this thread at the beginning, you’ll find a lot of variation in our journeys but that most of us sooner or later get an improvement over the initial problem.

I for one am pleased to announce that we are up to 25 min a day of trot work, and look forward to increasing that time.

In the meantime, I hope you all have peaceful, productive Holidays, and continue your progress into the New Year.[/QUOTE]

Thanks everyone! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! May 2012 bring you and your critters health and happiness!

[Samantha37]

Here is a video 9 months post op and 1 month post hock fusion injections.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150526261730935

We were doing a lot of lateral work and really working on his canter prior to the injections. I needed a mental break after such a long and hard rehab so we are about 2 weeks behind “schedule” after the fusion. He is pretty weak hence the long and low Please excuse the dirt- he was caked in mud prior to me getting on him and that was the best I could do without a full bath!

[merrygoround]

A Happy and Sound New Year!!

To all of you who’ve shared your ups and downs.

Meanwhile we continue our up/down at 30 min a day.

Dbamford, I now really envy you your sand roads!! Even a big arena gets dizzy making. :rolleyes:

[Dubarry]

Surgery scheduled for Jan. 10.

[merrygoround]

Sympathy!!!

Those first week post surgery are wearing. Feel free to post and complain.

[Dubarry]

I am considering putting my guy on U-guard or Ulcerguard. He has not had any symptoms of ulcers or gastro intestional issues. I just thought being in the stall would be stressful and this might be a preventative. Did anyone else choose to add supplements to their horses’ diet while rehabbing? If so, what did you pick? thanks!

[Samantha37]

I used ranitidine and ulcergard when he went off his grain- ranitidine by itself the rest of the time. LOVE the stuff and you can get it at Costco super cheap!

[quietann]

Dubarry, for some reason my earlier reply didn’t show up.

The vet surgeon who did Feronia had me put her on daily ulcerguard (the OTC form) and banamine for 4 days before surgery and one week after. She has an iron-coated digestive system and has never had colic, but after surgery she would barely eat, so I am sure the ulcerguard helped keep her empty stomach happier. (They sent her home 2 days early because she wasn’t eating.)

Be prepared to see ribs after surgery… I was amazed at how much weight Feronia dropped in the 4 days she was at the hospital.

Do talk with your vet about sedative options as most people here have found that some sort of sedative is useful for the first few weeks or months. Feronia was on Ace tablets, a fairly large dose at first and then it was reduced over time. She has not needed it in over a year.

She’s been on SmartRepair – now called SmartResilience – since her surgery. This is a blend of SmartPak’s higher level joint supplement blend and SmartTendon. She was on SmartFlex II (“Support”) before that, and just MSM before I bought her.

best of luck to you and your horse!

(Feronia update: the dressage trainer and I are starting to school some First level dressage movements, with great success. When the dressage trainer rides her, they do a bit more advanced lateral work and apparently the little mare has a nice half-pass in there! Now that she’s strong enough, things like counter-canter make her even stronger. We are working on simple changes across the diagonal, which in her case means “trot at least 3 or 4 strides before the change” because she tends to anticipate and just do a flying change. I canter her over a pole occasionally, which she loves,and we do a lot of trot poles. All the canter work and poles work wakes her up and makes her bouncy. The vet thinks she’s doing great but she will be getting hock injections next week.)

[Samantha37]

TOTALLY agree with the above post- my horse dropped a ton of weight in the hospital and the first week. It was horrible, he looked like skeletor.

[merrygoround]

We never had an appetite problem. Grain had already been cut to a minimum. I fed hay free choice, which meant a lot of it in this case. The only medication ever used was Reserpine, which I am ever so slowly, (snivel) cutting back.

Finally now that we are doing longer trots, weight is coming down. And since I don’t go in the barn at midnight, there can be no loud voiced demands for "More hay!!! Now!!! :lol:

[dbamford]

Sigh. I was hoping that Venture’s hock injections would last for 1 year, but alas, he got really stiff last week after 1. temperatures dropped to the 30s and 2. he decided he could do cutting horse turns while running the fence line one morning. Vet was coming for another horse and she took a peak and said, yep he seems a little sore again, and its been 8 months.

Its weird he has very ‘clicky’ hocks too (or is it his stifles, its hard to isolate), the suspensory and wind puff area where he had surgery still look great, but those hocks…My dressage coach wonders if we shouldn’t do some estrone too for his stifles, clicking might be up there, and sometimes he has the ‘step in a hole’ feeling. Another note, he all the sudden does not want to land on his left lead after jumps. I think this is all hock related. Well, lets say I hope its all hock related as I hate to think there is something else, else going on! God like a front leg issue. Injections tomorrow, and a massage on Friday for him…for me…I wish!

Dubarry let us know how things go, and if you have any questions along the way…

[Dubarry]

Hello! Our surgery went well and my guy is coming home this afternoon. Blue Ridge Equine has been nothing short of outstanding. The big red horse is receiving excellent care and attention. He had an allergic reaction to the betadine scrub after they shaved him, so he has a little bit of “razor burn”, but otherwise, he is fine. Today is my birthday so I am REALLY looking forward to bringing him home. I still have a few smartpaks left of his original, but decided to switch him over to SmartPak Rehab and UGuard pellets. thanks for checking in on us!!

[Dubarry]

Update - It’s been a week and neither horse nor owner feel homicidal yet, I guess that’s a good thing. Big red horse seems to have a pretty good attitude. He had to hunger strike while he was on bute, occasionally accepting carrots as a peace offering from my trainer’s wife. Leg and stitches look good overall. His “razor burn” from being shaved at the clinic has now scabbed over and has made changing his wrap a little more tricky. But he has been a good patient. Stitches come out next week.

[merrygoround]

Sounds good. Carry on!

But!
Remember the fun usually begins on those first hand walks, and continues from there.:eek:

[quietann]

Dubarry, that all sounds fine, except the razor burn. Feronia got it, too, but it healed quickly. My vet gave me a gel that dries and forms a breathable “skin” over stuff like that and kept the wraps from irritating it even more, but I can’t remember what it’s called.

Agree with v. that you may find a sudden need for more tranqs when you start handwalking, or when you get to the point where handwalks are more than tiny toodles up and down the barn aisle. It was scary to watch the mare rear up; she’d come down ouchy on her bad leg, but that didn’t stop her much. What did was timing her Ace doses just so, and using a chain over her nose, and eventually letting her out in her tiny T/O paddock. First time she went up and hit the chain, she dropped down so quick, with her eyes popped open wide :eek: I never had to shank her; she just learned she’d hurt herself if she went up. She’s smart like that.

BTW – she just had hock and stifle injections; her SIs are fine but her stifles were pretty darn sore (and she hid it well). She’s on light work for another week.

[Dubarry]

[QUOTE=quietann;6088668]
Dubarry, that all sounds fine, except the razor burn. Feronia got it, too, but it healed quickly. My vet gave me a gel that dries and forms a breathable “skin” over stuff like that and kept the wraps from irritating it even more, but I can’t remember what it’s called.

Agree with v. that you may find a sudden need for more tranqs when you start handwalking, or when you get to the point where handwalks are more than tiny toodles up and down the barn aisle. It was scary to watch the mare rear up; she’d come down ouchy on her bad leg, but that didn’t stop her much. What did was timing her Ace doses just so, and using a chain over her nose, and eventually letting her out in her tiny T/O paddock. First time she went up and hit the chain, she dropped down so quick, with her eyes popped open wide :eek: I never had to shank her; she just learned she’d hurt herself if she went up. She’s smart like that.

BTW – she just had hock and stifle injections; her SIs are fine but her stifles were pretty darn sore (and she hid it well). She’s on light work for another week.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice! Yesterday was day 1 of hand walking and it was a success…with a little help from the chain shank and some Ace. After the third lap around the barn, my guy said “sigh”, he was bored already. However it was 60 degrees and pleasant in VA. The rainy weather should challenge us later this week. In the words of my SO, I’m enjoying my horsey rehab support group. Thanks for the advice and kind words everyone!