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  Discussion on Suspensory Injury?
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 21, 2002 - 12:27 pm:

Dr. O.,
My young gelding was diagnosed with a slight injury to the suspensory yesterday. The vet did an ultrasound, which showed perfectly normal tissue. We lunged him in small (20 foot) circles, and the "lameness", which is what I called her out for, is a slight, 1 or less on the lameness scale, shortening of the stride when going to the left (the left leg is the injury site). When ridden in larger circles, or straight, you normally can't see anything. I called the vet because this is the leg he broke 3 years ago. Recently, I have finally been able to get a nice, forward, trot out of him, and my trainer said at the beginning of the larger trot, she noticed a slight shortened stride in the left. We decided to get a vet to look at it. Anyway, the vet said the only reason she diagnosed it was because with palpation, he evidenced a slight discomfort. He is on rest for a month. She didn't prescribe any medicine. I couldn't find any article on the suspensory, so I am asking here. Could this have been going on since his break? The break was on the front, so I didn't expect the back of his leg to be the trouble. Also, we noticed that his left hoof is slightly smaller in diameter than his right front. Could this also be from favoring the leg?
Alicia

Posted on Thursday, Aug 22, 2002 - 7:03 am:

Hello Alicia,
If the diagnosis is correct, then no this has not been going on since the break. It is pretty well established that horses normally do not like to have their suspensories palpated so this is not a good way to localize this lameness. It is unlikely that the foot would be smaller from an acute very low grade lameness.
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Aug 22, 2002 - 10:37 am:

Dr. O,
Just to clarify, he showed as little lameness when his cannon was broken, so it may be more severe than he is letting on. By the way, this vet just graduated, she mentioned that several times. She decided on the "injury" based on the fact that he didn't react to the right suspensory being palpated. The fact that most horses react is interesting, I will remember that. Anyway, it probably can't hurt to rest him for a month, so I will do it. There is a possibility to take him to Leesburg, which I will probably do. There has to be something wrong, as he is not 100% when lunging in a small circle to the left. I'm just not sure where the problem lies. Plus, he seems to favor that leg, in landing from jumps and in pawing (he paws a lot, but mostly with the right leg). I suspect we still don't know what is wrong. Could it be a bone problem in the foot? Could he have navicular in one foot? I guess I need to research this more, but if you have any suggestions on what to look for, please let me know.
Alicia

Posted on Friday, Aug 23, 2002 - 6:28 am:

I have one suggestion, quit using vague signals, like the horse pawing as a primary symptom for lameness and quit throwing in the "could it be's" both of these are why you in your current state of confusion. Using the article on The Diagnosis of Lameness define which leg is lame and then using the principles in that article localize the lameness only then can you arrive at a diagnosis or at least a managble list of rule outs (which is the veterinarian's term for the "could it be's").
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 23, 2002 - 9:38 am:

Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? I don't think my questions were out of line. If you do, which you seem to, I apologize for bothering you, thought I thought that was what this list was about. I DIDN'T say anything about anything being a symptom of lameness, I was only relaying what he does. I plan on ruling out bone defects. Obviously, my vet didn't rule out suspensory based upon a low grade lameness to one side on a short lunge, and a reaction to palpation. I just think more could have been done to rule out other things before she came up with that diagnosis.

Posted on Monday, Aug 26, 2002 - 6:23 am:

I did not think your questions were out of line either Alicia, you ask because you do not know. I apologize if the advice seems offensive Alicia, it was meant to direct you toward solving your problem and still seems appropriate. As I reread the above post, it seems to me that you thought he was favoring the leg because he pawed with it and if I misunderstood you I apologize again. The article I reference above is quite clear about how to localize a front limb lameness. Though a shortened stride has significance behind, long before you notice a shortening in the front a head bob becomes obvious. The article explains how to tell which one is lame and you should apply this rule to determining which leg is lame.

I am trying to give you real advice above: the "could it be's" will be nothing but exercises in frustration (as you express above) until you localize the problem. There are just too many of them.
DrO
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