What Would You Do? Broken Hock

[ANuJourney]

Quick summary;

4 weeks ago my mare was kicked in the hock. Vet was out immediately and did two x-rays. They did not see anything. Wrapped her up and was given stall rest instructions, smz, and bute. Week later she was still three legged. They came back out and did an ultrasound. They again saw nothing. They instructed a DMSO sweat and more stall rest. Week later, still three legged but putting some weight on it. Switched to an arnica liniment and Back on Track wraps since the DMSO was irritating her. Vet wanted a quick hand walk around the arena daily since she was putting some weight on the toe and willing to hop around. Did that for a while, but she was still very swollen and about 50% weight bearing.
Called another vet out for a second opinion. New xrays were taken and they found this break.
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She was not optimistic, but said she would consult with a surgeon to get his opinion. In the meantime she wanted to wait 4 more weeks to see if it would try to heal/fuse on its own, but there were no signs at all of it trying to heal 4 weeks in, and the arthritis was already progressing quickly in the joing compared to the first xrays. The surgeon said even if he was presented this 4 weeks ago he wouldn’t be able to screw a plate into it if he tried. They both agreed they did not think she would heal enough to be comfortably pasture sound.

This mare is 8 years old with no other health issues. She is happy, eating well, and seems content hopping around her stall. She babies it in the stall and will not put weight on it, but she will plant the foot and put some weight on it to walk.

I am at a loss as to what to do. Do I wait it out, or am I just waiting for her to go downhill and put her down when she is in agony? I have never dealt with anything like this.

[endlessclimb]

oh what a heartbreaker. I’m so sorry OP. What a lucky horse to have such a conscientious owner.

[bingbingbing]

So very sorry.

[skydy]

Thinking of you. Hang in there.

[mroades]

Hugs

[iJump]

Presently dealing with a broken bone now, but a yearling and its an ulna break. She was 3 legged hopping around and swiveled in her stall to move. Vet wasn’t confident it would heal.

12 weeks post injury she’s walking normally, and not tripping at all. Glad I got about 7 different opinions and did a lot of research. I was ready to put her down when I saw the image pop up on the top of the xray machine.

[joiedevie99]

So sorry, OP.

[Sheasmom2]

I’m sorry you are going through this. But as you know, better too soon than too
late.

[endlessclimb]

@iJump

Presently dealing with a broken bone now, but a yearling and its an ulna break. She was 3 legged hopping around and swiveled in her stall to move. Vet wasn’t confident it would heal.

12 weeks post injury she’s walking normally, and not tripping at all. Glad I got about 7 different opinions and did a lot of research. I was ready to put her down when I saw the image pop up on the top of the xray machine.

I dislike when people do this. How is this relevant to the OP’s situation, other than to make her doubt the diagnosis given? If you want to play My Pretty Pony, start another thread.

[ayrabz]

Ouch…@Endless, while I came to post I agree with all Original Poster has shared, researched and done, my reaction would be to let the mare go. But, in kindness, @ iJump…she answered the poster’s thread of ‘What would you do’ with her experience, which is what was asked. Not that I support blowing smoke vs. a strong difficult position, but she came and gave her input too, only based on what she personally went thru. I see no reason to be so nasty to her for that. But OP, I do feel you’ve done so well by your mare, and letting her go before more pain and limitations is what I would do. Hugs to you, and thanks for loving her so well.

[endlessclimb]

@ayrabz

Ouch…@Endless, while I came to post I agree with all Original Poster has shared, researched and done, my reaction would be to let the mare go. But, in kindness, @ iJump…she answered the poster’s thread of ‘What would you do’ with her experience, which is what was asked. Not that I support blowing smoke vs. a strong difficult position, but she came and gave her input too, only based on what she personally went thru. I see no reason to be so nasty to her for that. But OP, I do feel you’ve done so well by your mare, and letting her go before more pain and limitations is what I would do. Hugs to you, and thanks for loving her so well.

It’s an entirely different BONE for christs sake, followed by “I’m glad I got a bazillion opinions, and then made my own independent decision” which is basically an entirely unnecessary jab at the OP that they haven’t done enough. I’m sure if I pay enough vets, eventually one of them will tell me what I want to hear, too.

I stand by my statement that it is absolutely irrelevant to the OP’s situation, where the break is in an entirely different location and is already showing arthritic changes. You can’t compare an ulna break to a hock break. iJump is preening her own feathers, and not looking at the OP’s situation at all, which is extremely selfish.

[ayrabz]

And I stand by: you don’t have to be so freaking ugly. The OPs situation can be interpreted in a response in a general angst situation and she may want some feedback. iJump was sharing what she could in an experience but ADMITTED different bone and age. It where did you get the judges card to interpret her as self serving and ignorant. Wow.

[endlessclimb]

@ayrabz

And I stand by: you don’t have to be so freaking ugly. The OPs situation can be interpreted in a response in a general angst situation and she may want some feedback. iJump was sharing what she could in an experience but ADMITTED different bone and age. It where did you get the judges card to interpret her as self serving and ignorant. Wow.

She doesn’t even answer the question, she exclusively came here to preen over her experience with a totally different broken bone.

Q: What would you do? Not an answer: I have a horse who broke a totally different bone and she’s doing great!

Same exact thing when someone has a loss of a loved pet or family member. Go ahead and count the people that start the “yeah, I lost my dog this year too”. Why can’t people stay focused on anything but themselves? It’s baffling! Even when the topic isn’t about them, they circle it back so they can somehow one-up you.

Having put my mare down earlier this year, I got to experience this first hand. Instead of just saying sorry, they want to talk about their cockatoo they put down 15 years ago. Not. Relevant. At. All. I wonder if people do this unconsciously, because it happens all the time.

[ayrabz]

last shout out here. so, take the opportunity to blast again and have the last word…I won’t battle you on this here. Did you ever think? its how YOU see people vs. ‘people doing this all the time’. wow, what a concept. maybe your trigger is a little too tight. Try a pitcher of Covidtinis. Take a breath. My only interjection is you were cruel and immediately felt this person cared nothing for the OP…and was a hideous monster purposely ‘playing my little pony’ and ‘preening her own feathers’…now, just IMAGINE…just IMAGINE…could she have been thru a difficult decision, and wanted to reach out to the poster on that basis alone? How wonderful it must be for you to kick everyone first, ask questions later. She made one post. she shared a journey of making a difficult decision and admitted her situation wasn’t the same EXACT SAME INJURY. I think you should since you’re judge and jury on this one, simply post : UPDATE, DO NOT SHARE ANY EXPERIENCES UNLESS THE EXACT SAME BONE. THIS IS WHAT POSTER WANTS NO OTHER SHARING. Because, hey…putting your loved horse down is clean cut, plain and simple totally avoid needing support in many ways. And, by the way? You could use a LOT more 'My Little Pony" in your life. SHEESH

[endlessclimb]

@ayrabz

last shout out here. so, take the opportunity to blast again and have the last word…I won’t battle you on this here. Did you ever think? its how YOU see people vs. ‘people doing this all the time’. wow, what a concept. maybe your trigger is a little too tight. Try a pitcher of Covidtinis. Take a breath. My only interjection is you were cruel and immediately felt this person cared nothing for the OP…and was a hideous monster purposely ‘playing my little pony’ and ‘preening her own feathers’…now, just IMAGINE…just IMAGINE…could she have been thru a difficult decision, and wanted to reach out to the poster on that basis alone? How wonderful it must be for you to kick everyone first, ask questions later. She made one post. she shared a journey of making a difficult decision and admitted her situation wasn’t the same EXACT SAME INJURY. I think you should since you’re judge and jury on this one, simply post : UPDATE, DO NOT SHARE ANY EXPERIENCES UNLESS THE EXACT SAME BONE. THIS IS WHAT POSTER WANTS NO OTHER SHARING. Because, hey…putting your loved horse down is clean cut, plain and simple totally avoid needing support in many ways. And, by the way? You could use a LOT more 'My Little Pony" in your life. SHEESH

And you, grammatical clarity and correct punctuation. <3 <3 <3 :):) xoxoxox

[JB]

So, the OP presents a very specific situation, adult horse, full weight, serious hock break with xrays to show, a time progression of things not only not starting to heal, but major arthritis getting its groove on, has a couple of vets and a surgeon say “this is not cool”, and asks “what would you do?”

iJump didn’t answer that question. At all.

Instead, she presents an unknown severity of break in a very different (and better, all else equal) bone, on a young, light, still growing horse where the odds of healing are significantly improved from the start.

Maybe that was her way of saying “I would get 5 more opinions, and wait 8 more weeks and see what happens”, but it sure doesn’t come across that way at all.
Maybe she isn’t able to grasp the severity of the OP’s situation, and thinks time will heal all

We don’t know her intention, but as presented, yikes, it rubbed me the wrong way as well. It comes across as someone asking WWYD about compound cannon bone break, and me coming in saying “well my horse broke the wing of his coffin bone and I’m glad I gave him rest and time because he’s totally sound now thank goodness I didn’t put him down because it looked really bad to me on the xrays”

[mmeqcenter]

@endlessclimb
@JB
I also read that post the same way and definitely raised my eyebrows in a “um wow.”

[JB]

As for someone bringing up an animal they put down previously (or whatever is “the same”), I get it, it’s a form of empathy that doesn’t always come across well. It helps to know you’re not alone in the grief or indecision of loss and illness and impending death. Sure, some use it to point the spotlight on them, but I think most are are really just trying to show support that they know what you’re going through.

@ANuJourney I am terribly, terribly sorry you’re facing this outcome. It sucks, you are not alone, and I hope you take some small bit of comfort knowing you have good information that you did all the right things. Hugs

[endlessclimb]

@JB

As for someone bringing up an animal they put down previously (or whatever is “the same”), I get it, it’s a form of empathy that doesn’t always come across well. It helps to know you’re not alone in the grief or indecision of loss and illness and impending death. Sure, some use it to point the spotlight on them, but I think most are are really just trying to show support that they know what you’re going through.

@ANuJourney I am terribly, terribly sorry you’re facing this outcome. It sucks, you are not alone, and I hope you take some small bit of comfort knowing you have good information that you did all the right things. Hugs

Logically, I get that. But in the wake of my animal dying, having to hear about countless other dead pets offered very little in the way of consolation. It’s borderline funny, when you think of it. “Oh you’re scared of spiders? Let me tell you in detail about this spider I just saw!” It really is an interested social habit people have, haha.

Overall, it was ok. I really only have a 2-fingers-amputated handful of friends, and their support was what got me through. The “support” from the other bystanders/acquaintances… honestly, if I had a mute button I would have used it.

Also, @mmeqcenter I’m glad I’m not crazy in how I read that post.

[fledermaus]

I do not know if this is relevant, but. My 12.2 hand pony broke her hock last year and is pasture sound today. She did not fracture a bone, she dislocated her hock backwards in a fall, tearing all the ligaments. Her leg was hanging loose, unfastened, a terrible sight. I took her to Tufts, the head of orthopedic surgery after looking at her films said she had a very good chance, so I went ahead with the surgery, which involved inserted a long plate and screwing it to the bones. A month in a cast, six months of home rehab, $12,000. She is not rideable but she is perfectly comfortable, limps very slightly going uphill.

For various reasons I won’t go into, I said yes to this experience, and it turned out well for my pony. Because of her specific injury, because she was only an hour’s drive from a world class vet hospital, because I had the money (I was going to buy a truck but oh well). Also, being a slim, lightly built pony, she didn’t have as much weight on that limb as a full sized horse would.

The truth is that all the stars lined up for my pony’s injury to have a good outcome. They really may not for your girl. I have no advice. It’s a hard hard thing and you have all my sympathy.