Fractured hock in Mini

[Cedar Ridge Farm]

[SIZE=10pt] Hi Everyone...I am finally back from the stone age and back on-line !!! Whoohoo!!![/SIZE]

I was wondering if anyone out there has ever had or heard of what I am going through.In Jan. I found my show mare in the pasture with her right rear leg up.We have no idea what happen, we can only speculate. I took her to the Vet. (my SIL) and xrays showed that she had a severe fractured hock. My SIL called the top orthepedic surgeon around here, and surgery was not an option. If she had of been a large horse I would have had NO option, but because she is a mini I was given 3.

1. The obvious.....put her down. Couldn't do. Didn't want to go there. NOT MY first option.

2. Leave it alone and pray that it heals on it's own. She would have been in pain and no quarantees on if /or how it would heal. Leave her confined for 6- 12 months.

3. Place her in a full limb cast. Costly even with a price cut from my son-in-law, this was going to be tuff in this economic crunch.

I asked my SIL if he could make a splint for her to take the weight off the good rear leg and the tendon. I left her at the clinic for a few days for him to pray and figure out how to get this done. On Jan. 22, Dreamer was sedated and her splint applied. When she was waking up, she stood right up and was using her leg. I brought her home Jan.24. As per the doctor's orders, Dreamer was kept in a stall and kept clean and dry. If I saw that the any tape was coming undone, I placed vet wrap on it . Feb. 18 we went back to the Vet for a re-check and rewrap. Xrays showed that her hock was healing!! Please understand that her hock was shattered into little pieces...... The splint was reapplied and my SIL told me to keep a shipping boot on her leg rear (the good one) to help support the tendon.

I have gone into this knowing that her leg could be stiff and fused if it healed. As long as she is in no pain and can get around, I would rather have her than not For those of you who know Dreamer, you know what a wonderful little mare she is. WELL, Wed. nite I decided to put her in the round pen while I was cleaning out her stall. I fed the other horses and she got mad and started pawing the gate. * Picture her back leg is supporting her weight) I went out to get her and bring her to her stall.....well.....miss priss decides to trot !!! She still had a limp, but I was so thrilled I just cried. We go back on the 18th and have a recheck and rewrap.

I have not found any info on line and as far as what my SIL and I have been told, noone else has done the splint thing. I would really like to know so I can compare what we are doing with what someone else may have done.

Thanks for reading and we wouldn't mind prayers being given for her.

 

[kaykay]

Im so happy your mare is doing great!

Years ago an aquaintance had a mare break her hock. They opted to do nothing and see if she would heal on her own. She did and got around quite well. I never heard after that what happened

My fear would be early onset arthritis so be sure and watch for that

Kay

 

[HGFarm]

That is awesome!!! Sending prayers for a speedy and excellent recovery for her! Glad you gave her a chance and someone decided to do something 'different'- and sounds like it's working!

 

[Cedar Ridge Farm]

KayKay,

That is one thing that we did discuss. Both doctors said that if we can heal the hock well enough that there would be a good chance that arthritis could set in later and she would need supplements. I know that showing her is out even in obstacle which is our favorite.....

Thanks for letting me know about the mare.

 

[End Level Farms]

I had a large horse filly hurt herself. The vets all said to put her down. But she said she wanted to live.

She had ripped the muscle joint from her ribs and they said there would be no way to fix it.

6 months complete stall rest with people continually telling me to put her down the shoulder still needs muscle tone to regain but now the vets are saying in another year or so she could actually be RIDDEN!!.

Good Luck And I know she has the same Spirit Inara did and doesnt want to die or be slowed down.

You will be AMAZED at what can heal if given a chance.

Ill take pictures of Inara's shoulder this weekend if I can to show you.

 

[shelly]

ray

ray

Sending lots of prayers for your mare!!!!!

 

[funnybunny]

What a remarkable story.

I hope your SIL will perhaps write a paper about splinting the injury and present it to the veterinary community.

Our vet has done some remarkable things with orthopedics and has written a number of things and has presented them at conferences. Most vets I know read all they can to keep up with what is happening in treatment.

Prayers to your little one.

 

[wildoak]

That's wonderful - so great when you go out on a limb like that and it works! I understand your excitement too, my little mare who dislocated her femur last fall has had a long tough recovery and I am doubting will ever be even close to normal, but she shuffles around and grazes all day, and she too has done her own funny version of a trot lately! Very exciting to see.

Jan

 

[wendyluvsminis]

Prayers for your little sweet-heart! Pictures?