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Discussion on Check ligament desmotomy
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New Member:
lorimac
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Posted on Friday, Dec 26, 2008 - 3:52 pm:
I am looking to purchase a warmblood colt that I found out has had check ligament desmotomy surgery on both front legs. He was growing too fast and at 5 weeks owner decided to do surgery. can I have info on this surgery and how it affects him as a jumper prospect.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Dec 27, 2008 - 9:45 am:
Welcome Lori,
Typically CL desmotomy is done for digital flexure contracture. You will find information on the procedure in the surgical treatment subtopic at Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Tendon Laxity and Contracture.
DrO
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New Member:
lorimac
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Posted on Saturday, Dec 27, 2008 - 12:13 pm:
Dr. O
Thank you for the info, in your experience do the horses heal and go on to their intended use. Do you feel that this will be an ongoing issue for the rest of his life. He had the surgery done at 5 weeks by a vet from Tufts University. I saw him at 11 months and did not notice any confirmation issues, just the small lumps still at the incision.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 28, 2008 - 9:13 am:
Lori, my experiences are consistent with the prognosis information on CL desmotomy in the article. I have not seen any studies that evaluate a number of potential show jumpers with this surgery. Though I have seen the surgery done on foals that went on to be successful hunters and dressage horses I cannot think of any show jumpers with the surgery personally. We just do not have many show jumpers locally. You should take into consideration that 30% of the horses with no prior history of problems are NOT able to train and go on to the intended use they were bought for. Now throw in a surgery to correct a conformational defect that transects one of the structures most often injured (check ligament desmitis) in the particular discipline you are seeking to do. The chance of injury to the ligament will depend on the conformation of this horse, how high you want the horse to go, and that undefinable value of luck: will he take that bad landing that injuries the ligament? Even a good exam will not answer your questions about the future with any certainty.
DrO
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New Member:
lorimac
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 28, 2008 - 2:52 pm:
thank you for this valuable information. I have never purchased a horse this young and have had a couple of bad experiences with horse diseases. I guess I am looking for the answer to a question I have to answer myself. Thanks again I sent an email to the vet at Tufts and waiting to hear a response.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Dec 29, 2008 - 4:40 am:
Let us know what you learn, it may help others trying to make this common decision-making problem.
DrO
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