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  Discussion on OCD in ponies
Author Message
New Member:
Talkingp

Posted on Thursday, Jan 19, 2006 - 3:48 am:

My 4 year old 12 hh welsh pony has been diagnosed with OCD in her off stifle after a sudden onset of lameness. She had been in work for about 6 weeks and had just started jumping over a few very low cross poles. I unfortunately was overseas and did not see the lameness. The vet was called and found 3/4 lameness in off hind limb. A small fragment was found with a mobile x-ray unit in the trochlear ridege. This was the caudal 60 laterial craniomedial view. The other stifle was free of lesions. The pony was rested and sound within a few days. Surgery or 4-6 months rest was recommended. I sought a second opinion with a highly regarded racehorse vet. (I returned from overseas and the pony was sound.) He found no evidence of OCD nor could he find the lesion after a series of 9 x-rays. The pony was sound with all flexion tests. He did find beginnings of a bog spavin in near side hock. Pony spelled for a month and bought back into light work with a child rider. After about 3 weeks the pony required schooling and we had a 60 kilo adult ride it. After 20 mins walk and trot work during which the pony was required to flex and collect a bit more she suddenly went lame on the near side. It was almost like she DrOpped in the back, the foot had a very shortened gait and we got off straight away. She did appear sound without a rider. Three days since with the chid rider she is uneven at the rear lapsing into sudden stiff short strides. It looks like it is mostly affecting the right side. Today we continued working her even though she started lame. She gradually became sound. In summary she appears sound at walk and trot without rider but appears to go suddenly lame for no particular reason resulting in a stiff very shortened stride with a rider. Today we have changed the saddle. The horse masseuse found her off groin to be hard and not soft. She also found the muscle more defined in the near side rump. To me its now looking like the first vet's diagnosis correct perhaps. Can you give me any help on diagnosing this? Has anyone heard of this ocd in welshies. I thought it was a big animal condition. The lameness is really not evident without a rider. It does look like a lameness high up and not in the hoof or fetlock.It does seem more in the off side but we think it has appeared in both sides. We have decided today to keep working the pony if only to see if she always works thro the lameness or to get more lameness so a vet can more easily identify the affected area.
Thanks
Penelope
Sydney Australia
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jan 19, 2006 - 8:16 am:

Hello Penelope,
Yes we can help. The problem is you have the cart in front of the pony here: before you worry/diagnose/radiograph etc.. the cause of your ponies lameness you need first to localize where in the leg the pain is coming from. For more on this see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Localizing Lameness in the Horse.

I do agree with you that OCD of the stifle in a pony is rare but the history of problems following the beginning of work is consistent with OCD.
DrO
New Member:
Talkingp

Posted on Thursday, Jan 19, 2006 - 4:38 pm:

Thank you. I have read the 'lameness' articles and will try and isolate where the pain is coming from. I will be in touch soon. Penelope
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