# Would like dwarf owners opinions



## kaykay (Dec 31, 2003)

Would just like to hear from current or past dwarf owners if they have had this surgery done and what the outcome was. I have gotten a few emails that say this surgery has a high failure right and sometimes isnt worth doing.

So if you have exp with this (fusing of the leg) please tell us

Kay


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## Little Bit (Jan 6, 2004)

Hello Kay,

Have you gotten the surgeon's opinion on Nell's back leg yet?

If there has not been an injury and her fetlock is just turning over to the outside because it is weak, I think the little *Magic Shoes* could work wonders for Nell! She is still young enough, I have a friend who has a little dwarf that has to wear 3 little shoes, he is 2 1/2 years old and when she keeps them on him, he is walking flat on all of his hooves, when they are off his back right leg looks just like Nell's and his front legs are even worse!

If the vet thinks Nell would benifit from the shoe, I would be very happy to design her a shoe and supply the glue for Nell.

Janell


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## Bluerocket (Jan 7, 2004)

Kay Kay:

I would try the magic shoes first... they work very very well. I would give them a few weeks to see if they will help..

I have one dwarf gelding who had magic shoes correct one hind leg.. but it did not fix the other one (probably was the wrong extension lenght or angle or something) so we allowed the "fixed" one to collapse too. He gets around fine and I think he walks on his like Nell does .. if I recall (can't find the photos to check). His little hind hooves are permanently collapsed (he walks on the outer edge/side of them) and he runs and plays and bucks and has no problem getting around.

Don't know why she needs the surgery.. but of course I don't know all the details and am NOT a vet..

Again.. I would try the magic shoes first if delaying the surgery a few weeks more is not a problem.

you can see my dwarf CLOVE and his feet at hometown.aol.com/foxholler (choose Meggie & CLove and then from that page there is a link to a page showing their crooked legs etc ..)

JJay


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## virginia (Jan 7, 2004)

Thank you all for your imput. We still have not heard back from the surgeon. (He's on vacation) Surgery is not something we are rushing into, which is why we are in a waiting mode. As I explained to Janell, the shoes will not work in this case, at least not now. It was very difficult to get good pictures of her foot. In the pictures I posted, it looks like her hoof is just too long. That part has been trimmed. Unfortunately, that is not her problem. The hoof is completely off to the inside. The bottom of her hoof has never seen the ground. She is walking completely on her lower legbone. Right now, she gets around pretty good. Looking at her you would think, let her be. That was my original thought too.

My Equine Vet showed me her xrays and explained that she thought the bones just above her hoof might still be viable. However the higher bones, because of the unusual stress being exerted because of the way she walks, already have stress fractures. Without surgery, Nell probably would be ok for a couple of years. But, as she matures and adds weight, the leg would eventually give out and during the last year or so before that happens, she would be in severe pain.

However, if she has the upper bones fused and her lower bones trained to resume their original shape (here is where the Magic Shoe would come in) Nell should be able to live a normal life with a life expectency of 20 to 30 years. The rest of her Dwarf charactictics are minimal.

Now, if the surgeon agrees with my Vet, and fuses the bones, Jeannie (my Vet) plans on being there for the surgery and will help with the rotating of the hoof. It may have to be put into a cast for a short while and when thats removed, the Magic Shoe will be put on. None of this is set in stone. It all depends on what the surgeon has to say and how much money this would cost. CMHR cannot afford extensive surgery and I am very much aware of that as I am the Treasurer. So, we will sit and wait. My sincere hope is that we can do the operation at a reasonable price and Nell can live the life she deserves. She is one of the sweetest minis I have ever met and considering her lonely existence before we got her, it is a mini miracle.

Ginny


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## Frankie (Jan 8, 2004)

What a hard choice for the CMHR to have to make.

I would soooooooo hate to hear of her living a life in pain, or a day for all that is worth.

Will watch for updates on what the surgeon has to say.

Out on vacation,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hope the horses all know that so they don't go and get hurt!

Ahhhh, I'm sure he has a replacement, but understand you waiting on him to return.

Let us know!

Thanks for the updates.


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## Dona (Jan 8, 2004)

Beethoven had the surgery on both his rear fetlocks. Surgeons said everything looked good & that this was a surgery that they did often with little problems. Unfortunatley, a week after surgery, little Beethoven developed a systemic infection in one of the legs, which cut off the blood supply & caused that leg to "die". We gave him every chance possible...including a $2000 surgery...but still had to have him put down.


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## kaykay (Jan 8, 2004)

Dona

This is my biggest fear. I have heard from several people that had the same thing happen. I get the feeling that infection after surgery is very common. I would hate myself if I put her thru that just to have an infection end her life. Ginny is going to ask the surgeon what the rate of infection from this surgery is. I want the absolute best for Nell and would rather see her live 2-3 happy years then die from an infection from surgery that we put her thru. These decisions are so hard. Hopefully we will knwo more when the surgeon gets back. Thanks to all of you for your input


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## Bess Kelly (Jan 8, 2004)

virginia said:


> Thank you all
> My Equine Vet showed me her xrays and explained that she thought the bones just above her hoof might still be viable. However the higher bones, because of the unusual stress being exerted because of the way she walkably would be ok for a couple of years.
> 
> However, if she has the upper bones fused and her lower bones trained to resume their original shape (here is where the Magic Shoe would come in) Nell should be able to live a normal life with a life expectency of 20 to 30 years. The rest of her Dwarf charactictics are minimal.


I'm not real clear -- is the fusion for the stress cracks or are they actually going to attempt to realign the lower joint area and fuse?

Certainly with relief of the stress on the upper bone these should heal as any break. Is there a possibility that some type of brace/shoe combo could be tried that would possibly work? Of course this would limit her general movement for a period of time but might be a consideration to see if the hoof could be grown out & continually trimmed until more level, allowing a shoe & eventual heal.

I'll tell you when my stallion was in cast for broken leg, you never saw anything grow like that hoof!! I was in shock. I spent a long wait until it could be trimmed & I'm now working on a shoe/physical therapy to get his gait right again But it is working, although slowly.


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## Little Bit (Jan 12, 2004)

With my first little dwarf, Tessa, the vet told me she needed to have surgery on both of her front legs. She was walking on the very inside edge of each hoof, and the coronary band was getting very close to the ground.

This was eight years ago and I did not know about making her little shoes. I didn't know exactly what all the surgery was going to entail. The vet just told me that he would trim her hooves a lot and insert metal screws onto her legs right above the coronary band on the outside, that would go down towards the hoof. He put her in braces and said to bring her back in 6 weeks to see if her pastern joints had fused together. It took much longer than he thought, it took 3 months!

Several years later I got another vet to tell me exactly what they did, (she assisted my vet). She told me that he took a drill bit and tore up her pastern joints, then inserted the screws. That is the reason her joints fused together with the bracing!

All this and he did not even want to give her any pain medication...cause' I asked him, and he said no, she doesn't need any!

If I had known about the little *Magic Shoes* then, I know I could have corrected her, and she would not have had to go throught that horrible surgery and all that pain!

I guess the point of my telling you Tessa's story is that she did fine, no infection, thank goodness, just the braces started causing a little pressure sore before we could finally take them off of her.... You know I can't rememmber him even putting her on antibiotics, but he surley must have!

I will be looking forward to her updates, Ginny.

I wish the very best for lil' Nell, bless her little heart.


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