Stradivari suffered career ending injuries while working with Destin at The Spa this morning. He is in a cast at Rood and Riddle and will be monitored throughout the weekend to see if he can be saved
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/213519/stradivari-sustains-career-ending-injury
Oh, no. Hoping things go well as possible this weekend.
What a shame. 
Sniff. I hope they can fix him.
Part of me can’t believe that there are still fractures like this that we can’t fix.
[QUOTE=poltroon;8759613]
Sniff. I hope they can fix him.
Part of me can’t believe that there are still fractures like this that we can’t fix. :([/QUOTE]
While I agree with you, it is important to remember that there was a time when there were pretty much zero fractures that we could fix. Many jingles for as good of a recovery as possible.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8759622]
While I agree with you, it is important to remember that there was a time when there were pretty much zero fractures that we could fix. Many jingles for as good of a recovery as possible.[/QUOTE]
Oh, I know. I wasn’t being critical, just lamenting.
My mom broke her hip recently. Seeing the x-ray… it would have been the end of her, completely unfixable, except that they now can do a hip replacement. With the femur replaced, they had her up and walking as soon as she was lucid after anesthesia. Just stunning that that could work.
Those dang little sesamoid bones suck.
I found this kind of cool article about the mechanics of condylar fractures in racehorses. Probably old news to most of you but I found the comments about how the joint surface can’t remodel and how the remodeling process can temporarily lead to weakness was kind of interesting - I also didn’t realize that these fractures were uncommon in 2 year olds but common in 3 year olds.
Funded by the Washington State Horse Council, radiography and MRI were performed on all horses that came to Washington State University for necropsy. Occasionally, a computed tomography (CT) scan and nuclear scintigraphy were performed as well. The emphasis of the research, according to Russell Tucker, DVM, Dipl. ACVR, chief of radiology at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and resident graduate student Tom Wilkinson, was to recognize underlying pathology in which MRI shows changes that are not seen on radiographs and seldom seen on CT scans. MRI and radiographic studies identified patterns associated with fractures in these horses. Those with catastrophic fractures in one limb often showed evidence of microfractures in the contralateral limb as well. “The leg with a condylar fracture would essentially explode,” Tucker says. “Often in the contralateral limb of the same horse, we’d see preexisting small breakdowns—contusions or stress fractures in the osteum.”
According to Tucker, the microfracturing in the contralateral leg was not noticeable when the legs were looked at grossly unlike other regions common for stress fractures where a periosteal reaction is often visible.
“I know of one horse that actually had three condylar fractures in its racing career and actually broke three different condyles in three different legs,” Judy says. “And after each one, he went on to race and win.”
Lining up the fractured bone exactly with the parent bone is something most experienced surgeons can do quite nicely, particularly with the help of digital radiography or fluoroscopic control. “The biggest concern with all of these, particularly displaced fractures, is the damage to the backside of the joint, where the cartilage is lost, because of the small fragments that develop there,” Nixon says. “Those crumbly fragments might be only a couple of millimeters across, but they are a key element to returning horses to their true athletic function and should be removed.”
The fragments can be difficult to get out or even visualize. And while the bigger fragments can be locked back into position with the screw repair, the smaller comminuted pieces lead to progressive arthritis and need to be removed. “Once you get them out, you’re going to get a better response,” Nixon says. "Doing the screw insertion is only a small part of the surgery; the key is cartilage repair. I think when we get better at doing cartilage cell grafts, or stem cell grafts, in these areas we’ll get a better outcome.
Lots of super interesting stuff about how the condylar fracture is just the obvious thing that gets everyone’s attention, but that successful healing requires looking at the underlying disease and cartilage, as well as their attempts to create a practical way to scan horses without symptoms.
I didn’t think you were being critical, just pointing out how far we have come. The biggest difference between a horse and a person when it comes to recovery from injuries as I am sure you know is your mom could lie in bed and use crutches or a wheelchair to get around. That is something I don’t think veterinary science can ever overcome.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8759647]
I didn’t think you were being critical, just pointing out how far we have come. The biggest difference between a horse and a person when it comes to recovery from injuries as I am sure you know is your mom could lie in bed and use crutches or a wheelchair to get around. That is something I don’t think veterinary science can ever overcome.[/QUOTE]
What I thought was really interesting about the hip surgery is that they’ve learned that the key to success in these cases is to get them up and out of bed - that elderly people who were bedridden after hip surgery had something like a 90% mortality rate from one cause or another within a year of the surgery. So… not so unlike horses.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;8759647]
I didn’t think you were being critical, just pointing out how far we have come. The biggest difference between a horse and a person when it comes to recovery from injuries as I am sure you know is your mom could lie in bed and use crutches or a wheelchair to get around. That is something I don’t think veterinary science can ever overcome.[/QUOTE]
I’ve actually pitched to my vets a patent idea I have for what resembles a lightweight, simplified Marine Travelift* and amounts to an ambulatory sling. The horse would be supported by a 4-sided structure on wheels, which while taking his weight would allow him to move at will (though not lie down) on balloon-tire casters and could even be used for hand-walking and grazing. Unfortunately they think I’m nuts. SOMEONE is going to build one, I promise and when that day comes it may be a game changer I hope!
*http://www.cimolaitechnology.com/en/products/second-hand/_99552/
Moving/confinement isn’t the chief problem when you get to the point where you have to sling a horse for an extended period of time. The problem is the sling itself. Horses aren’t meant to be suspended by their bodies and it is never comfortable for them.
We even experimented with floating horses in the recovery pool to get them off injured limbs when I worked at New Bolton. It didn’t not help the situation. You still have to transfer weight to the body and it’s not comfortable.
If someone can figure out a way to support a horse that isn’t so hard on the body it will revolutionize what we can heal.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8759894]
Moving/confinement isn’t the chief problem when you get to the point where you have to sling a horse for an extended period of time. The problem is the sling itself. Horses aren’t meant to be suspended by their bodies and it is never comfortable for them.
We even experimented with floating horses in the recovery pool to get them off injured limbs when I worked at New Bolton. It didn’t not help the situation. You still have to transfer weight to the body and it’s not comfortable.
If someone can figure out a way to support a horse that isn’t so hard on the body it will revolutionize what we can heal.[/QUOTE]
More than anything it all depends on the patient. The great stallion Nureyev broke his hind leg and had to be “slinged” for months. Johnny Jones the owner of Walmac Stud at the time came up with a unique “sling” and built a special stall/facility on the farm for him. This was more than 30 years ago. Nureyev pulled through and went on to be one of the top stallions of his generation.
When people were allowed to take the stallion tour after his recovery they were treated to photographic “gallery” of everything that took place in his private barn. I had the privilege of being allowed in the barn during his recovery. An amazing horse to put up with everything he did. But he was the exception to the rule.
It very much depends on the patient, but it is hard on them all. During my years at NBC, I had extensive experience using both the Anderson and Liftex slings. I was directly involved in hoisting/flying probably a hundred horses and have cared for dozens in the Anderson sling long term. Maybe 50% of those horses slung long term pulled through (although to be fair, all of the horses were on the wrong side of the odds of survival). Most horses can’t figure out how to use the sling, which leads to complication. Contrary to what Hollywood shows you, you don’t “dangle” horses in a sling to get weight off the legs over time. Horses have to learn how to “sit” in a sling for it to be effective, which goes against every natural instinct.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8759942]
It very much depends on the patient, but it is hard on them all. During my years at NBC, I had extensive experience using both the Anderson and Liftex slings. I was directly involved in hoisting/flying probably a hundred horses and have cared for dozens in the Anderson sling long term. Maybe 50% of those horses slung long term pulled through (although to be fair, all of the horses were on the wrong side of the odds of survival). Most horses can’t figure out how to use the sling, which leads to complication. Contrary to what Hollywood shows you, you don’t “dangle” horses in a sling to get weight off the legs over time. Horses have to learn how to “sit” in a sling for it to be effective, which goes against every natural instinct.[/QUOTE]
“Maybe 50% of those horses slung long term pulled through”
Pretty impressive number all things being equal.
Don’t think I could have/develop the “emotional distance/disconnect” needed to do that kind of work. I have high respect for those that do.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8759952]
“Maybe 50% of those horses slung long term pulled through”
Pretty impressive number all things being equal.
Don’t think I could have/develop the “emotional distance/disconnect” needed to do that kind of work. I have high respect for those that do.[/QUOTE]
It was a job of a lifetime, that’s for sure. Very hard place to work, though, and not just because of the nature of the job. But my best friends are still from those years, even though so many of us have ended up all around the world.
The most difficult thing for me was making the transition to human medicine years later. With animals, when the outlook becomes to grim, you euthanize. Not so when it’s someone’s baby…
But this is all a big departure from Stradivari. Sure hope he pulls through!
[QUOTE=poltroon;8759613]
Sniff. I hope they can fix him.
Part of me can’t believe that there are still fractures like this that we can’t fix. :([/QUOTE]
It isn’t always just the broken bones and recovery, it’s also the state of blood flow below the fractures. That, as I understand it, was one of the reasons that Barbara was even given a chance, the blood flow below the pastern was relatively intact.
I hope Stradivari is doing well enough Monday to proceed with the next step.
Horses are such fragile creatures despite their size
Bad morning this morning at Del Mar… 3 breakdowns during works. One fatal, one unknown, one hoping to fix. Beholder’s trainer said he had a stomach ache and cancelled her work…
for all connections.
He moved Beholder somewhere, not sure where.
From Del Mar or to Del Mar? (Beholder). I’m assuming moved her someplace else at least temporarily…
Stradivari is scheduled for surgery tomorrow.
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/thoroughbred-racing/report-stradivari-scheduled-surgery-tuesday/
Thanks for the update. Good news that surgery is scheduled. Next step is recovery after surgery.
Next step passed successfully. Yay!
He recovered from the surgery very well and had a good night, and is comfortable today," Pletcher told New York Racing Association media officials.
He still has a long way to go to completely recover but each successful step is a win.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/213653/stradivari-recuperating-after-surgery
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