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T O P I C R E V I E W
Fee
Posted - 26 May 2009 : 7:56:28 PM I've had a worrying and frustrating couple of months with Po
It all started two months ago when we were cantering in a field and a pheasant jumped out right in front of us. Po, as you can imagine, spooked and circled off away from it. The next day she had her ears back when I rode her and as Po always has her ears forward when riding her I knew something was up and called the vet. His diagnosis was that she had pulled some muscles on her back. She was given treatment and when I was due to ride her again she wasn't right so I left her longer. After a number of weeks of do this and that her back wasn't improving until finally she was booked into horspital to have her hocks x-rayed as they suspected a bone spavin was causing her sore back (no lameness, but her stride was short)
She went in 10 days ago and I got the bad news that she does have bone spavin. She went back into horspital last Thursday and got Tildren and hock steroid injections. She came home to a relieved mum on Thursday evening and spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday on box rest with some light walking out. Everything looks and seems ok, thankfully! She got out into the paddock yesterday and gave me a fantastic display of gallop, slide stops, bucks and spins The vets instructions were that she is to have some light in hand work for the next two weeks until her check up so I guess that's her two weeks of light work over in 30 seconds! LOL
As you can imagine I have been researching frantically on this and my vet is a specialist in this field, so she's in good hands and I'm getting good advice. He assures me that turning them away for 1-2 years and the bones fusing just doesn't happen, (well, it does happen for approx 1 in every 400-500, so not good odds) It's about maintaining the arthritis now she has it, slowing the progress as much as poss and keeping her pain free. I do hope to resume ridden work asap and get on with things, albeit, sadly not endurance. Such a shame, my girl will miss it so much I must admit I questioned whether the rigours of endurance caused this, however, Po has been in some horrific accident when she was between 1-2 and although I don't know what happened I'm convinced this has resulted in her having a way of going which over the years has weakened and eroded this joint. They tell me it would have came with or without the endurance, but I do wish I'd known this beforehand and I wouldn't have done any endurance in the hope that maybe it would have taken longer to develop. That said, we don't have many miles on the clock for endurance standards and I did take her nice and slow over the 3 years.
Anyone else dealing with this condition? I just can't believe how quickly it's all happened and that she's had no lameness. But I do understand it's all about the horses individual pain threshold and I'm assuming the spook at the pheasant was what tipped it for her. I'm trying to remain positive about it all but at the same time I'm scared. I understand that having them in work is good for the joints, muscles and their general well being, but I have an overwhelming feeling of wanting wrap her in as much cotton wool as I can possibly find as I want to keep her for a very long time
Po on Sunday, the final day of box rest! Phew!
'Mum, you forgot to leave my door open last night! What's Polka eating?! I hope I'm not in here for the day!' I'm feeling great, lemme out!'
Sorry for this post being so long!
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Margaret
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 12:48:35 PM I've only just caught up with this. What a time you and Po have had! So glad to hear the op was a success and you're back on board - hope things go really well for you in the future.
Ammi's bone spavin's been causing problems again recently; he had it in one hock a few years ago but that came right after a while and he felt better than ever. Now it's back in both (!) but he's on Danilon and Cosequin and I've just started riding again, so hope we have as successful an outcome as Po.
Red Rum
Posted - 11 Jul 2009 : 8:36:51 PM So happy for you
GHALEEM
Posted - 11 Jul 2009 : 1:39:50 PM Thats so great Fee I am so glad for you both. Michelle
karen d
Posted - 11 Jul 2009 : 11:42:55 AM
mary h
Posted - 11 Jul 2009 : 11:35:13 AM That is excellent news!! She is looking fantastic Fee... Bet Polka is happy to have her mummy back!!
Fee
Posted - 11 Jul 2009 : 08:09:57 AM Further update! It's only been 3 weeks since surgery and I rode Po yesterday! Albeit it's only 10 mins 2 x per day on the first week of returning to work, but just so chuffed as she went and felt great and it's just brilliant to be back on her again. She was really happy too, ears forward, no hesitation and she's not on any pain killers either!
dreammagic
Posted - 25 Jun 2009 : 10:38:27 PM Glad po home safe, hope she has a speedy recovery
Fee
Posted - 25 Jun 2009 : 1:07:32 PM Here she is last night with her shaved hinds and bandages pawing away because she wanted me to let her off to have a wee run round with Polka She's obviously feeling ok
Goldenmane
Posted - 24 Jun 2009 : 10:36:40 AMGreat!
Pop
Posted - 24 Jun 2009 : 01:51:11 AM Brilliant, just brilliant
Fee
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 11:22:20 PM
Originally posted by TriciaG
Hi Fee. Is she home yet?
Yay! I just got back home as Po got home tonight Her and Polka were neighing to each other when the box appeared and they each had a little tizz as Po had to go straight into her box while Polka ran up and down the fence line shouting 'MUM!' and Po in her box shouting 'POLKA!' Got Polka over to the paddock next to mum and all were happy bunnies again It's so good to have her home
Pop
Posted - 23 Jun 2009 : 4:27:37 PM Hi Fee. Is she home yet?
kirst
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 10:47:35 PM Hope your lovely mare makes a good recovery.
Zan
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 8:43:38 PM That's all sounding good. I am sure she appreciated being visited.
Fee
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 8:35:24 PM Thanks everyone I went to visit her today, I think she was glad to see me and gave me such a big hello. She directed me to all her itchy bits and then she showed me where the door opened and was nodding her head to tell me to open it, poor Po, she's absolutely bored out her mind. On the plus side she must be feeling good when she's telling me to let her out as it's time to go home!
alison
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 4:01:25 PM Well done you to find other options and go for them, I hope she makes a full recovery and does you proud.
Ali
dreammagic
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 3:06:08 PM OMG have just caught this tread, poor Po! Must have been awful for you. Hope she gets better soon. Anne x
jillandlomond
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 2:20:01 PM Oh Fee, what a roller coaster the past few months have been for you!! Wishing Po a speedy recovery! Bet she can't wait to get home to be with Polka again!
Otto
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 1:54:18 PM wishing Po a speedy recovery, 70 percent is a pretty good chance!
kath
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 12:32:57 PM Thats sounds like a very traumatic time but hopefully she has come through it well. Fingers crossed for a great recovery
donna72_uk
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 10:08:32 AM Hi Fee just seen this as well,I do hope Po makes a good recovery i know how you feel when theres something wrong its so stressful. Give her a hug and kiss from me x
Gail
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 09:45:33 AM Hi Fee,
So sorry I have just seen this thread, what a traumatic time for you and lovely Po. I know what it's like when they are in for surgery it's just awful until you get the call to say they are fine and back up on their feet.
It all sounds promising now though so stay positive and hopefully she will be back to her usual self.
Keep in touch, call anytime if you need a chat,
Gail xx
Fee
Posted - 20 Jun 2009 : 08:16:01 AM You know the saying that the darkest hour is just before the dawn...
Vet came out two weeks later to assess the hock injections and tildren treatment and he never even got as far as the hinds as she was lame on the right fore With some pressing and prodding he suspected her coffin joint and said probably arthritis there too. I could have and saw before me a retired Po on long term pain killers.
That was the darkest hour...
I asked for a referral to the main equine hospital and i just can't believe everything that has come about in the last few days! Don't get me wrong it has been an extremely hard, emotionally draining and upsetting few days with big decisions to be made on behalf of my beloved horse.
Took Po in on Wednesday morning and she fully assessed by the consultant there and after lots of needles, blocks and trotting up she was given the thumbs up for the operation. The op i will give the bones the chance to fuse like nature would have it. It was so hard to make the decision to have your horse go through surgery but it offers her a 70% chance to return to normality with no pain and no drugs. I decided with much trepidation to go for it. She was kept in and admitted for surgery the next day! I was so terrified and Polka got many tears on her neck Wednesday evening when I came back with just a halter and no Po A sleepless night and long day to wait as I knew she was going in for surgery at 2pm (Thursday) I spent the day with Polka and we kept each other company missing Po.
Can you imagine my relief at 4.30 pm when I get a phone call to say the op went according to plan and she came out of the anesthetic without any trauma.....
The fore lameness turns out to be a suspensory ligament and probably due to compensating for her hind.
I went to visit her yesterday at 4pm and OMG I can't believe how awesome she looked! She was like my old happy Po! I walked past the scanning room and did a double take as it was Po in there with the consultant and about 7 students. They were about to scan her right fore and she spotted me at the small window and started fidgeting and trying to turn towards me as if to say 'Hey you guys, look my mum's here!' They were very kind and let me in to watch everything. She was an absolute star, I had tears well up watching her stand there like a wee lamb with all these strange people and equipment around her while she got shaved, washed and scanned with no sedation, so proud of her. Her ligament has no major damage and she says the recuperation for it will match in very well with the recuperation of the hock surgery. She also said her bones on the front legs are excellent
She should be home beginning/middle of the week, one weeks box rest with lots of walking out and I'll be riding her in a few weeks. Just walking of course to build everything back up and balance the work to get those bones knitting together.
I had 3 hugs and kisses to give her from her closest friends and her daughter and I gave her another 20 from me She loved it. I'll go and see her every day until I get her home.
Let's just hope now she's in the 70%
I'd like to thank the ppl who responded on this thread which got me thinking and opened my eyes so that when the opportunity of another option came along I saw it and was able and willing to consider it. Thank you
Fee, Po and Polka xx
lisa rachel
Posted - 30 May 2009 : 08:33:58 AM Fee your vet is right natural fusion doesn't happen predicatably or reliably but it does happen, I can send you a disc of radiographs showing many horses whose hocks have fused naturally and who are now sound. We have had two in the last month where, as the horse is insured the owners have opted to go for surgical fusion to speed things up, we have done the least bad leg first (ie the one least bad on radiographs) in the hope that the second will fuse while the first is healing. In both these cases this has happened and both, one a warmblood mare, one a pony gelding are now sound and fused in both limbs. I am not saying for one minute that we can RELY on natural fusion happening but in my experience it certainly does happen and is not a fallacy. Fingers crossed Po will be fine , certainly sounds like she is in good hands. Cheers Lisa
GHALEEM
Posted - 29 May 2009 : 4:05:38 PM Hi Fee, thanks for that and yes i'll join I have had the worst luck with horses what with Ghaleem then just a year afterwards finding out about Khalifa but i have always been blessed with kind, sweet horses and thats all you can ask for isnt it? I have everything crossed for Ruwi to grow up healthy and sound and HOPEFULLY! one day we can do some endurance! But thats years away and so much can change, we just have to make the most of everyday with them cos you never know when its all gonna change.
One thing ive always wondered is that Khalifa was backed at three and although i never did too much with him i still feel bad incase thats the reason. I wont make that mistake with Ruwi but its sooo tempting to ride him Michelle
The vets instructions were that she is to have some light in hand work for the next two weeks until her check up so I guess that's her two weeks of light work over in 30 seconds! LOL 
I must admit I questioned whether the rigours of endurance caused this, however, Po has been in some horrific accident when she was between 1-2 and although I don't know what happened I'm convinced this has resulted in her having a way of going which over the years has weakened and eroded this joint. They tell me it would have came with or without the endurance, but I do wish I'd known this beforehand and I wouldn't have done any endurance in the hope that maybe it would have taken longer to develop. That said, we don't have many miles on the clock for endurance standards and I did take her nice and slow over the 3 years. 
Is she home yet?
Her and Polka were neighing to each other when the box appeared and they each had a little tizz as Po had to go straight into her box while Polka ran up and down the fence line shouting 'MUM!' and Po in her box shouting 'POLKA!' Got Polka over to the paddock next to mum and all were happy bunnies again 
With some pressing and prodding he suspected her coffin joint and said probably arthritis there too. I could have 
and saw before me a retired Po on long term pain killers. 