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  Discussion on 3 year old with ddft in left front hoof
Author Message
New Member:
reubenr

Posted on Monday, Jan 4, 2010 - 6:02 pm:

This horse has been off for 4 mothss,turned out in a small paddock. He has been on Recovery EQ and Repair the entire time. 3 days ago I started jogging him with no rider in a round pen for 15 minutes. His 2nd. exam at 90 days the vet said his x-rays showed he was "1/2 improved." He declined an untrasound saying it wouldn't show anything. The horse shows no lameness at the trot.
My question is can I have a very light person begin to leg this horse up beginning in April and how long should I continue the supplements? He was in a reining program when injured and I want to return him to that displine. If he can be ridden then for how long and at what gaits?
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Jan 4, 2010 - 6:36 pm:

You don't give much info here... but this is a young horse with hopefully a long career ahead of him.. why push it ...why rush it..? why not give the horse the benefit of the doubt and let him heal completely and throughly .. ? soft tissue issues take a very long time to heal and often come back to bite you in the . . .. . so give this horse a chance and let him have time off..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
New Member:
reubenr

Posted on Monday, Jan 4, 2010 - 9:38 pm:

The horse was injured by someone jumping him before he was ready. You don't say how much time I should give him off and/or if he should be getting some form of exercise. Everything I have studied says to exercise the horse to improve the recovery.I asked an online vet about recovery time and she suggested that 6 months was adequate as long as I was giving him Recovery EQ and Repair. What say you?
New Member:
reubenr

Posted on Monday, Jan 4, 2010 - 9:59 pm:

Dr. O would you weigh in on this when you have time? I should add the horse has had a theraputic shoe on for the 4 months he has been off. The toe is rolled and his heels are pulled as far rearward as possible so he can breakover
asap. Should I be walking him or is a slow jog ok? We are beginning the 4th month of injury but he has not shown any sign of lameness in the paddock for at least 2 months. The horse is 15.1 hands and weighs about 1150. He is a OH. gelding born in March, 2006.
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Jan 4, 2010 - 10:50 pm:

Reuben i can only speak for what i have done with rehabs.. one filly of mine with a much worse injury then urs is 100% sound.. i was told that we could 'try' to fix her with surgery and long rehab but she would only be a pasture sound brood mare.. .. well i did the long / slow and painful rehab with her .. and took my time.. 3 years later she is sound and showing.. ! She was 3 years old when she completely severed her DDFT / nerves and arties in her hind leg.. now 6 , still young and a LOVELY ride..
My rehab program was long and done carefully .. when she was finally able to be hand walked after 7 months of stall rest it was for only 5 mins a day , we added 2 mins every week till we were up to 60-70 mins a day of hand walking before i introduced trot.. again 5 mins a day with 2 min add on's every week or was it two weeks? I would have to go look at my thread on this site..
So take it slow and easy is my answer..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 5, 2010 - 7:06 am:

Welcome Reuben,
There is confusing information in your post that makes me wonder if we have a good handle on what is going on. In your title you use ddft which I presume means deep digital flexor tendinitis but why would a veterinarian prefer a radiographic evaluation rather than a ultrasound? That makes no sense at all with a soft tissue injury. As to the supplements, as long as you diet has been good, there is no good scientific evidence such supplements will benefit healing despite the information the folks have put up on their site.

The article does lay out a definitive program Reuben starting with day 1 of the injury. You need to carefully reread the articles subtopic labelled, Rehabilitation Protocols for Mild to Severe Strain. You should read the introduction to this subtopic to learn how to use these tables but to help you get started a horse at the end of 3 months, sound, that has not been ridden yet might be able to pick it up at Table 2 using the proper time frame since the accident and the good progress matrix. But the best evaluation for this placement would be a good ultrasound.

As to the future of this horse that depends greatly on the severity of the injury something you don't give us in the post. Once you get the severity of the initial lesion using the prognosis section you should be able to get a read on the probable future of this horse.
DrO
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