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  Discussion on Tendon Injury and non weight bearing
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New Member:
klmcbri

Posted on Monday, Nov 14, 2011 - 3:10 pm:

My 22 year old Trekhner has a tendon injury on his right rear leg. At this point he is not putting much weight on the leg and I was instructed to wrap the leg he is standing on. I was told to get pillow wraps and put track wraps on top of that. So is this similar to a pressure wrap? The objective is to support that leg while the tendon is healing and hopefully prevent any issues in the leg he is always standing on. Any help would be great. The wraps should be here tomorrow.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011 - 12:57 pm:

Welcome Katharine,
Though this is a time honored recommendation, research suggests it is very hard to "support" a leg with these materials. About the only bandage with actual research that shows it helps relieve tension on the flexors is the sports medicine cannon boots that has the strap that goes under the fetlock and attaches to the cannon with velcro.

However another problem with large horses standing on just one front leg is mechanical founder which this will not prevent. Be sure you are doing all you can with rest, NSAID's, hosing, and bandaging of the sore leg to make the horse as comfortable as possible. For more on this see HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Lower Limb » Flexor Tendinitis.
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011 - 1:29 pm:

Dr. O, would one of those kinsenton (?) splints help in a case like this, or would that put too much pressure on the tendon?
New Member:
klmcbri

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 16, 2011 - 9:37 am:

DrO, Thanks for the info, I guess since it won't hurt, I'll wrap it as the vet suggests. I just wanted to make sure I apply the correct amount of pressure. I am icing him 2x per day(60 min each time) and wrapping with a poultice during the day. My vet had him on 500lb dose banamine 2x per day for 3 days. My horse may have a sensitivity to bute, so we chose banamine. He still has some heat. I saw massage mentioned in one of the articles but no detail. Do you have any more info on massage to help reduce swelling? Or when to add it to the rehab? Been on stall rest since 11/11.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Nov 19, 2011 - 7:37 pm:

The correct pressure is a hard to judge thing. For that I recommend someone to guide you the first time. The massage is done to remove edema after the inflammation has cooled out, it is done with your fingers. A lotion might help your hands slip over the leg. Light pressure is applied evenly and repeatedly from distal to proximal pushing the fluid up. When you are done it should look less swollen.
DrO
Member:
paul303

Posted on Sunday, Nov 20, 2011 - 10:22 pm:

I've had to treat 3 bowed tendons on the same old horse. They were all on the front legs. I can see where the sports medicine boots would be a wonderful tool. They would certainly make things much easier, and would help a lot with the constant worry about a too tight bandage.

The first tendon injury was severe and we treated it carefully. We didn't wrap the other leg and it bowed a few days later. So we ended up wrapping both anyway. Major nightmare. When she injured the worse one again 4 years later, we did wrap both front legs and did OK. I wish the sports medicine boots had been suggested to me back then. I had the short ones already, but I would have gladly bought the higher ones...probably wouldn't have cost much more than the expense in cotton batting, quilts, and all the Advil for my aching back.

Not sure if they still use DMSO, but, used carefully, I've always had good results.

Wish you the best...
New Member:
klmcbri

Posted on Monday, Nov 21, 2011 - 10:35 am:

Well, he is looking better, not lame anymore, but keeping him on stall/small pasture rest. Still some heat in the leg so I'm still icing 2x per day and poulticing in between. Wrapping the good leg for support. Might buy the SMB's as they do sound easier than the pillow wrap and track wrap, plus sounds like might better support the tendons. He is starting to weight bear a little more on the bad leg. About 20 seconds at a time. I walked him for 5 minutes on Saturday and then iced after. No increase in heat but the heat is still there. I also hand grazed him for an hour Sunday, he walked like normal and weighted the injured leg normally. So I think we are making progress. How long do I continue poultice and ice? Until all heat is gone?
Member:
paul303

Posted on Saturday, Nov 26, 2011 - 1:48 am:

The whole treatment can be exhausting, can't it? Far as I'm concerned, the icing can't hurt. I've found, with tendons, the more caution, the better. My very first time, I trusted my mare's judgement....wrong thing to do. Always err on the side of caution. The setbacks are not fun.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011 - 9:32 am:

Hello Kathy,
Yes as long as you have heat in the injury, cooling it out is sensible. Once cool you start with keeping it warm to increase circulation.
DrO
New Member:
klmcbri

Posted on Monday, Nov 28, 2011 - 8:54 am:

Lee and DrO, Thanks for the info. I ordered the Sports Medicine Boots, should be here tomorrow. On recommendation of a friend I called Ohio State and I will be taking my horse there Tuesday for an ultrasound and hopefully a PRP treatment if he is a candidate. My vet did one Shockwave but I really don't like causing the trauma when for the same price I can skip the trauma of 2 more SW and just get the beneficial parts of the PRP in one treatment. So I'll keep you posted. I talked to a Physical Therapist that has outlined a therapy plan that is similar to the one on this site, but goes further into detail for the later stages of rehab. It's going to be a long road but hopefully we can hit the trails in the spring.
Member:
klmcbri

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011 - 8:35 am:

Latest update, went to OSU yesterday and they found a core lesion on the DDFT about 1/3 way down on the proximal aspect, encompassing about 30% of the CSA. They also found scar tissue in the tarsal sheath distal to the hock. Stifle was WNL. They did a PRP treatment to the middle third of the DDFT and injected depo-meDrOl into the scar tissue surrounding the distal aspect of the tarsal sheath. He is on stall rest for 2 weeks then we start a very light walking program. They said it will take about 6 months for the core lesion to heal. They said he should be able to return to light work as a trail horse. So now we wait. I also asked about the SMB's and they said that would be great to provide support for his good leg now. Also later on his bad leg. The vet there was very surprised it was the DDFT. She had not injected that before but had done the other tendons and expected to get the same results. So I'll keep you all posted on our rehab.
Member:
dres

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011 - 8:49 pm:

Kathy I have a post some where on this board re a severed DDFT and our long rehab... good luck , follow the docs rules and do no more then that .. it took me over 2 years but i have my mare back ..
good luck
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them spots..
Member:
dres

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011 - 8:55 pm:


and

https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/4/256847.html

pictures and videos of our rehab

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

Posted on Friday, Dec 2, 2011 - 4:37 pm:

Ann, Wow thanks for the info. Great job on the rehab. I need to find an indoor where I can walk him. Our farm is a swamp with all the rain here in Ohio. He is getting kinda testy being stall bound so I will heed all the warnings. I have had all 3 of the boys in the barn as Arthur gets upset when I take one out to roam in the barnyard while I clean that ones stall, so I've been tying them in their stalls while I pick around them. That is getting old for all of us. Strict orders for Arthur to be stalled for 2 weeks. I bought a portable corral that is electric fence that I might try to set up outside his stall to put one buddy in for a few minutes to see how that goes. He gets mad when they are out and he is not. I just don't want him out in the current swampy mess that is our farm. Prior to the PRP I had him confined in the portable corral out in the pasture with his buddy in the larger area of the pasture and that worked pretty well. But at the moment that pasture is on the other side of a mud lot. I don't want him to walk that far yet. So dealing with buddy sour issues as well. I know he can get over that as I used to trailer him out for lessons weekly and after an initial issue he got used to that. It's been about 6 years since my last lesson though. I need to get his buddy Shelby out of the barn though as he is getting pissy too. My easy life is getting more difficult due to this but I can take it after reading what you went thru. This will greatly improve my patience.
Member:
canter

Posted on Saturday, Dec 3, 2011 - 12:51 pm:

Kathy, some people have had luck with installing a non-breakable mirror in a horses stall to "keep them company" while stall bound. They don't recognize themselves and perceive the image as a herd member keeping them company. May be worth a try.
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