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  Discussion on Medical Collateral Cartilage Fx.
Author Message
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 7:58 pm:

Hello Dr. O and Everyone,
My post last week regarding a possible abscess in Sedona, my 16 year old mare, as been changed to the above Diagnosis I'm sorry to say.
I've read your article on this Dr. O., and find it very informative. As you suggested, when no abscess would drain, x-rays were taken to determine the diagnosis. My farrier is being notified by my vet and will shoe her properly. To say I'm sick at heart is putting it mildly after losing my other horse to laminitis. Any encouraging words would be appreciated, if there are such things.
This horse is hard to keep quiet to enable to allow the fx to heal, but I'll do my best. My vet said walking is okay, otherwise no exercise.
Thank you for your excellent article and advice.
Shirl
Member:
Canter

Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 8:21 pm:

Shirley, I am so sorry to hear this. We all know that you will do everything possible to give Sedona the best of care. Wishing you and Sedona all the best...

Fran
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 8:43 pm:

Hey, Shirley . . . Dang . . . if it's not one thing, it's another . . . Thankfully, you were able to get a diagnosis, and, hopefully, the trimming and Bute and rest will give Sedona relief . . . and soon her lameness will subside. I wonder if cushy, horse sneakers would give her some relief? I'm happy that Sedona found you . . .
New Member:
Parberry

Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2006 - 11:42 pm:

Shirley,
If I'm understanding your post correctly you have a collateral cartilage tear or strain? I'm treating a horse with a collateral cartilage diagnosis with three weeks of shockwave and three months of handwalking... has your vet mentioned shockwave to you? Dr. O... what do you think?
Kate
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 1:55 am:

Hi Kate,
Thanks for your message, but this is a fracture of the collateral cartilage. Nothing mentioned about shockwave.
Holly, thanks for your thoughts, she is not on Bute, has never had that much pain and walks normally, only limps at the trot. As per Dr. O's article, she'll need rocker and rolled toes shoes and needs to be perfectly balanced and kept on even ground as much as possible. She can walk but can't be allowed to gallop or trot, which she loves to do. She's a very "vibrant" horse, who is full of life, so it doubly heart breaking. She did fine tonight just taking her out of her stall to her cart of hay, and left alone. When she got ready to walk around, she did so with no trotting, etc. She hates being confined and that's when she tears around, so I'll just have to watch her closely. The shoes and down time will be for 6 weeks then she's to be x-rayed again. If not healed surgery the next option.
Thanks all of you,
Shirl
Member:
Lilo

Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 9:35 am:

Hi Shirley,

Best wishes to you and Sedona for recovery. I am sure it is hard to keep a horse quiet when it wants to run and play.

Lilo
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 9:39 am:

When we say "tear or strain" and "fracture" I am uncertain we are talking the same structure. Strains and tears are what happen to the collateral ligaments, the structures on each side of a joint that hold the bones together. Complete tears result in luxation of the joint.

The collateral cartilages are different, can become calcified and fracture. However as the article explains this may not be a straight forward diagnosis. An abscess would have been better and without examining the horse I cannot really make much out of what the prognosis is for the horse. These injuries range from a mild inconvenience to guarded prognosis if the fracture is low and large on the cartilage. The treatment for painful fracture is usually removal of the proximal piece as explained in the article.

I have not seen any work on shockwave for these injuries but it seems every time you turn around objective evidence exists for its use on soft tissue injuries and even joints though it is hard to figure why it works. For more see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Treatment Methods » Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy.
DrO
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Saturday, Sep 2, 2006 - 12:15 pm:

Dr. O.
This is definitely a fx. of the collateral cartilage, and from the description I received from my vet, it's a large area that has calcified, 2" she said. The hope is for the fx. to mend in 6 weeks after proper shoeing and no extreme movements. Being a "realist" if you will, I see this having to be surgically removed and Sedona being my second "pasture ornament" or "sanity keeper" for me. I was preparing to begin riding again as the weather cooled, but that will probably never happen whether it is surgically removed or healed, as I'd assume that area would always be weakened.
In your article on Prognosis, "exostosis" is mentioned. What is that exactly?
Thanks you again for your help,
Shirl
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Sep 3, 2006 - 8:51 am:

Exostosis is a bony growth. I think you are too down on this. I cannot see the lesion but if the body of the cartilage (the article explains about this) is not fractured, surgery fixes most of these and the horse remains sound.
DrO
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Sunday, Sep 3, 2006 - 5:36 pm:

Dr. O,
Your probably correct. I tend to be a "worrier". Thanks for your help and reassurance.
Shirl
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