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Hi Dr. O,
I have an Oldenburg filly currently 19 months old. We know she has OCD in one hock (the other hock is clean on X-rays), and surgery has been recommended to me. This week we will Xray her stifles as she had some swelling without lameness appear lately. My question is : until what age can OCD develop? Should I wait until she is 2 or 3 years old to perform surgery since other lesions can appear after 19 months (this would make it possible to have only one anesthesia and do all the affected joints at once)? Is there a way to predict if DOD will be present in the future when a foal develops OCD? I am not planning to start her under saddle until at least 4-5 years old. Thank you
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The latest I can remember an OCD becoming clinically evident in a warm blood breed is 7-8 year old. I would think the lesion had been there for years before this and it took just enough trauma to bec0ome evident by this age. Radiographs are not a great tool for ruling out OCD so the negative finding should not be a rule out of other OCD lesions. For a really good look at the stifle joint an MRI will be necessary. Once clinical signs of the OCD occur, the joint effusion you describe, surgery becomes the best way to try and move forward with this horse. As to the prognosis with surgery that is best given by the orthopod who looks at the radiographs. Your decision should be based on taking the gamble with the cost and time to find out if this horse will work out.
DrO -
Hi Dr.O. Thank you for the response. Vet took X-rays at the barn this week.
We found a HUGE OCD chip in the right stifle (which had a lot of effusion). There are even fragments within the fragment ????
The other stifle did not show OCD on the X-rays, but it doesn’t feel and look right (lightly swollen).
Vet checked with the surgeon and prognosis is estimated at 65% chances of success (full recovery) for the right stifle, if all goes well. This estimation depends if the chip is located in the inwards part of the femur (where the patellar rubs) or outwards. We will do an ultrasound this week to get that information which the X-rays don’t show clearly.
This being said, IRAP therapy would be recommended after surgery and in my understanding will require annual maintenance/injections for life.
I am devastated and don’t know what to think.
We do know she has OCD and at least 2 joints affected. But how many more? Is is worth investing on these 2 surgeries at such a young age? We have X rays for most joints, but what if the X-rays don’t rule out other lesions?
What happens if I just let her grow and see how things evolve? Can it get better by itself at her age (19 months)? Or will it bring so much damage to the joints before the start of training?
Thank you
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Hello Clauee,
It just seems things keep getting worse the closer you look. The prognosis is best given by those reviewing the images. As to your next move look closely at your goals / resources and this horse’s ability to fill them with the resources you have. I cannot be more specific than that but I do find folks often get caught up in the medicine without proper consideration of the part of the equation that gives you the answer to your dilemma.
DrO
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