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Discussion on Extremely contracted rear legs on new foal
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 10:55 am:
DrO a friend just had a foal with SEVERELY contracted fetlocks, she was HUGE, breech, and the contraction is so severe she is walking on top of her hind fetlocks with her toes pointed behind her. The mare and foal were lucky to come out of the birth alive, it was touch and go for a while. The baby stands about 1.5 hands above the bottom of the mare's chest, she was a huge baby and the mare is tall to begin with. They've started her on IV tetracycline and are wrapping the legs for support.
Custom splints are being discussed ASAP. At present it appears the front of the legs are really loose while the backs are extremely tight. Given the above information what would you say the prognosis is? Is there anything else you would suggest in the interim? The foal is 3 days old.
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2012 - 6:29 pm:
Here are photos of the legs after Dynasplints had to be removed or lose a hoof. At this point the owner is near the end of his rope but has been doing everything in his power to do what's right for this baby, including putting carpet in the stall for her to gain traction. She can barely stand on one toe but since the splints had to be removed she has contracted back a bit. Any advice as to what can be done? She had been hopping with both hind legs together but has since started to move them independent of each other. She is essentially walking on top of her fetlocks. She has not given up and has a strong will to live, that is why the owner is trying everything to fix this. In your experience is there anything that can be done for contracture this severe? The foal is just under a month old.
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Member:
juliem
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2012 - 7:35 pm:
No advice, but that is a heartbreaker for sure.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 6, 2012 - 6:13 pm:
Hello Andrea,
I do not give third party advice but can't ignore this sad image. Read the sections of the article on severe contracture treatment, it is possible to salvage this foal.
DrO
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Monday, Jun 11, 2012 - 12:55 am:
I did forward the complete article to the owner and so far the filly is still alive, his vet has resigned because she feels it's unethical to keep her alive at this point. He is hoping for a miracle as she's full of life and has a strong will to live and fighting spirit. And GOD she's beautiful.
Understanding that you don't give 3rd party advice, is there anything in the article that stands out to you particularly in her case? Hypothetically speaking? The last x-rays showed that her growth plates are shattered as well as her sesamoids.
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Monday, Jun 11, 2012 - 1:00 am:
Oh, and though she has not lost the hoof as was anticipated with the Dynasplints, they have been removed and some ground was lost since then. The hoof in question has gone cold. Owner had decided to put her down and let her out for one last romp - She rand and bucked like the devil but her hind legs kind of drag behind. She does move them independently of each other rather than hopping with them together as before but can only get the one up on a toe, the other is still on the fetlock. Is time her friend? Would manual daily stretching help at all or at some point would she hit max length?
Owner is hoping against hope that God will intervene, prayers are welcome, vets have all given up.
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Monday, Jun 11, 2012 - 9:54 am:
ITS TIME TO LET THE LITTLE ONE RUN IN THE GREEN FIELDS OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE ...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots...
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Monday, Jun 11, 2012 - 11:58 pm:
That's what the owner did today Ann, he's at peace with it. He tried everything he could and gave her every chance. It was at the point where all the vets he had out resigned. It is so terribly sad. She was so beautiful and full of life.
  
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2012 - 12:03 am:
DrO, one last question, this foal was born about a week before her due date, was she just not done cooking? Would that cause this type of deformity? She was breech and extremely HUGE on top of it. Hoping to find some kind of answers to this mystery. I'm hoping this does not sour the owner to the experience, it was his first foal EVER. God bless him for doing so much for this sweet baby...
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2012 - 6:51 am:
So very sorry that she couldn't be saved, poor little thing. At least the owner knows that he did everything possible.
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2012 - 10:12 am:
Thanks Frances, he's received an outpouring of love and kindness from the community, it's just so sad she had to go, she had so much life and fight in her
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2012 - 5:58 pm:
No Andrea that is not the cause, most premature foals have lax tendons.
DrO
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Member:
divamare
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 12, 2012 - 6:37 pm:
Thank you for posting the photos Andrea and the resolution. It's too bad the filly had so much going against her. 
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012 - 12:45 am:
You're welcome Vicki, everyone's brokenhearted over this. We all wish it could have gone the other way... At least the owner can rest peacefully knowing he did everything humanly possible.
Thanks DrO
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012 - 1:00 am:
Here are 3 more pics of her running free, her owner wanted to make sure she had the chance to experience it before she made her way across the bridge, I don't think she realized she was different...
  
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Member:
divamare
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012 - 8:07 pm:
She does indeed look happy and carefree. 
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Member:
lilo
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Posted on Friday, Jun 15, 2012 - 11:56 am:
How very sad the little one could not be saved.
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New Member:
althaea
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 16, 2012 - 3:44 am:
She was indeed a beauty. Losing any of our precious equines is a tragedy - but losing one so young and so game for life is devastating. My heartfelt condolences to the owner.
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Member:
4jane
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 27, 2012 - 9:31 pm:
Just want to say sooo sorry. How cute and sweet this little one was. Running and playing with splints on. So cute. Glad she got to run and play.
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Member:
babychop
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 28, 2012 - 12:51 am:
Thank you all for your heartfelt condolences, I will pass them on to her owner. He is at peace with it, he truly went above and beyond and did everything he could to save her.
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