Cherokee

[Beccy]

Just wanted to let you know that Cherokee had her x rays this morning, and it is definitely patella luxation. It was quite obvious from the images that the patellas are not where they should be, they are to the outsides of her legs.

The pictures of her spine were good. Everything looks normal and the spacing between the vertebrae is fine.

The vet has sent the x rays down to Guelph as she will have to be taken there for the surgery.

I phoned down there to talk to the vet who had been consulted at the University and he was in surgery, and I was out when he called back, so I will call again tomorrow morning and hope we do not play another round of phone tag!

Will update in a few days, thanks for all the advice and prayers!

 

[midnight star stables]

good luck & i hope she will soon be better!!

How much $ is that gonna cost you?

i hope not much!!

desiree

again Good Luck!

 

[Beccy]

How much $ is that gonna cost you?

i hope not much!!
desiree

again Good Luck!

423050[/snapback]

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Don't have a clue yet, won't be cheap though I am sure

Thanks Desiree.

 

[Voodoo]

Thanks for keeping us updated and I hope all goes well for you. I'm keeping you both in my thoughts. Best of luck with the surgery, she's just a little doll

 

[Nickermaker]

Hope Cherokee comes through the surgery with flying colors and that her recovery will be fairly easy on her. Best of Luck!! You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[REO]

Poor little thing!

I'm sorry this is happening Beccy, but I know she's in the best hands. May she recover very fast and make you smile to watch her playing! You and she will stay in my prayers. {{{{Hugs}}}}

 

[Mona]

Well that is good...at least now you know for sure what it is, and what she is in need of. Best of Luck with her Beccy.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Good for you, now you know THAT in itself must help alot, now we'll send lots of prayers for that gorgeous baby and you.

 

[DakotahMoon_Ranch]

I didn't know Cherokee was having problems! (not unusual for me to miss a thread though). I hope all goes well and you won't have to deal with sticker shock on top of it all...our prayers are with you! !

 

[Beccy]

Thank you all. Spoke to the surgeon at Guelph for some time this morning, and he gave me a run down of the two possibilities surgically. He has to see the x rays first and possibly do his own from the top so he has a view down the bones when she gets there before deciding how to proceed. At any rate, nothing is going to happen before next week at the earliest. I emailed him a load of photographs, but he is pretty sure already how bad it is, grade 1 to grade 4, with 4 being the worst, and he thinks this is the case.

He said he would recommend that she never be bred but Randy and I had already discussed this and it is out of the question as far as we are concerned anyway. If she can live comfortably, she will become a therapy horse.

Kim I am so glad to see you on the board!!! We have been thinking of you and Lonnie and Dakota. Hope the storm was not too bad. (((hugs)))

I have never heard the term "sticker shock", are you referring to the cost of the surgery? It wasn't really a shock, as we expected it would not be cheap, but it is likely she will need the more expensive of the two options, of course, could anything we do EVER be inexpensive?

So anyway, there might be nothing new to report for a few days now, but will let you know hen there is.

 

[Mona]

What types of surgery do they offer? I am just wondering if they are the same options as in dogs? With Molly, what they ended up doing was rotation her bone so many degrees. There was a specific name for it, but I forget what it was called.

 

[Beccy]

I honestly can't remember the technical terminology he used Mona, but if I understand him correctly, one involves just the ligaments, and the other involves taking pieces to change the shape of the groove to keep the patella in place.

This vet also speaks with a foreign accent and I didn't like to ask him to keep repeating things, but I get the general idea, and he will go into it more thoroughly once he knows what he is dealing with.

Was your dog's surgery successful?

 

[Mona]

Yes, Molly's was very successful. She has not had it happen at all...not even once, since she had the surgery. She had it done only on her severe leg. The other leg had never popped out...yet! It was a $600 surgery. Maybe it was called a "medial rotation"??? Sure wish I could remember for you. Sorry.

 

[Mona]

Bec...I found a wonderfully detailed information page HERE. It is about dogs, but I am assuming it is all pretty much the same??

 

[Bluerocket]

have my fingers crossed for you and Cherokee!!

JJay

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Hi Beccy, I went thru this with a filly born in January.(Wind Chill) I had not only x-rays done but a complete MR done, and then a Ct scan also done, both of these were done at our local hospital. After all of this and waiting for 6 weeks ..I then found a vet who would attempt the surgery, on both her legs. We took her down for her surgery and this vet who has done ALOT of work on miniatures and is also qualified to do most any work that the University can do, proceded with the surgery. She came thru with flying colors on her first leg, but when he went to roll Chilly over to start on the second leg, he lost her. I cried my heart out for days and so many "rude" people made the comment they wouldnt of spent what I did on her surgery. Well, to me it was well worth it, because I know in my heart I tried everything possible to give her some sort of quality life. I am hoping and praying everything turns out good for yours. If you would like to know anything else or see pictures, just pm me. ALso, remarkable as it sounds but the other foal I have from this particular mare ..his name is Cherokee! Corinne

 

[Beccy]

Oh Corinne, I am so sorry to hear about your baby!! We feel exactly the same as you, that we will do all possible to ensure that this little girl has a quality life, and is loved, as we feel it is our obligation when breeding to be responsible for any that have special needs. I am not faulting people who don't have corrective surgery done because of the cost, it is something that each must consider in their own situation, weighing the risks and prognosis as well. I do however take offence to people saying that they would not spend the money!!

It is not like we have money to throw away, our bills always far exceed any income from the horses, but the horses are what we enjoy, and they are one of our priorities. I had this discussion with someone recently when we had surgery done on one of our dogs. They said they wouldn't spend money like that on a dog. Well this dog has been part of our family for 10 years, and although she is older, she is in great shape, and may go on for years yet, so it is more than worth it to us.

Mona I am so glad Molly's surgery went well! (the dog I am talking about that we had surgery is also named Molly, but is a Sheltie!

) I wish the surgery for Cherokee would be $600.!! I know that is not an insignificant amount, but in the worst case scenario we are facing many times that amount.

Oh well, it's not much if you say it fast!

 

[SunQuest]

Prayers for Cherokee. At least it sounds like it may be something that one can reasonably correct so that the horse can be comfortable for a few years. I would definately keep in mind that arthritus could easy be an issue with her in a few years and to put her on suppliments to help minimize that issue. Please keep us posted on how she does!

 

[Beccy]

Thanks Nila, that had not even crossed my mind, but is a really good point. I will keep that in mind when we talk to the vet again!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Any updates on Cherokee? Can you give CortaFlx w/ HA to help?