[HalfPass]

Hello all.

I am sad to report that when my mare came home and we started working her we noticed some things going on.
While they were slight, I decided to have a lamness eval done before proceeding with her training.
Note....I am upset with myself for not purchasing a health and mortality policy on both my horses before all this happened. Now it will be a pre-existing.

So I had a vet who is not my regular vet do a lamness eval because she was already out at the barn.
What we found was a bit shocking and depressing for both my mare and myself.

We found femero-patellar filing in her stifle joint.
She is now considered a grade 1 lamness which is not bad but still.

I am awaiting a prognosis and surgery estimate from a local surgeon.

My regualr vet will be out this afternoon to do another evaluation.

I am also upset with my family at the moment. I will post in the horse talk area about this since it really doesn't belong here.

So I will let you all know what my regular vet recomends and post later this evening. I will need to go to the barn and hope to make it to my class at college this evening.

Please pray that the prognosis will be a good one.
And my pocket wont take too much of a gouge!
HP

 

[kitten_Val]

I'm very sorry to hear that. I wish you and your horse all the best!!

 

[Cheshire]

Wishing you guys the absolute best.

 

[JustDressageIt]

*hugs* I'm sending my very best thoughts to you and Candi today!!

 

[HalfPass]

Thanks everyone.
The fact that my Mom is being so non-supportive about all this just makes it more difficult.
I gotta try right now to stay in the moment and just deal with what is in front of me today.

i am just about to make a list of questions for my vet. She is a sweet heart and will help me process everything.

So here are some questions I have thus far. All these are for after she is done and I will bring a note pad and paper to add any as we go along with the eval.

1.) what do you feel this is? OCD? or something different?
2.) In your experience have you seen many successful outcomes from this type of stifel issue? What are some examples of the succeses? (give examples of horse usage and horse comfort etc)
3.) in your opinion what might the long term effects be if a surgery is done or not done. (Compare and contrast)
4.) What if anything can you tell me about the cost of this type of surgery even tho your not a surgeon?
5.) Who would you recomend?
6.) What do you know about recovery time and rehab afterward?

Okay what else....
I gotta leave in a about and hour
thanks for all the thoughts and support because I really need it at the moment.

I am now going to fill out applications on line because i gotta go back to work.


oh here is a link to my rant and vent about my Mom's lack of support
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/gotta-rant-about-my-mom-her-49634/

hp

 

[tealamutt]

Halfpass, I don't mean to sound like an idiot here but please clear up what is "femoro-patellar filings". I will be sending good thoughts your way on this. I don't know what you hoped to use this mare for but I will hope for a good prognosis and speedy recovery for her!

 

[HalfPass]

Hey tealamutt,
I was hoping you might see this.
You know I did not ask what that was but it is something the first vet wrote on a paper for me with other stuff.

My regular vet did her exam today and we took another set of x-rays.
She told me it is for sure OCD.
I will ask what that means and send her an e-mail. I did google it and found some things but explaining it is a different story because I myself did not understand

Both vets spoke with the surgeon and both vets called and told me he felt the surgery would be very successful and she could have a really good chance to be 100%.
But as we all know when they look at an x-ray it does not always show everything. Ther is that chance this could change.

I got lucky as I happen to decide to stay out at the ranch and then leave from there to go to school tonight.
As it happened to be I went to say goodbye to Candi and the surgeon was there looking over another horse he performed a surgery on at my barn.
I introduced myself and we spoke briefly. He stated the same thing that both vets did about outcome.

So I have some footwork left to do.

My vet and i decided we wanted to check out her hocks just to be sure there were no findings of OCD lesions there. SO we took and xray of one and found a totally healthy joint. So we didn't bother to shoot the other.

I am both scared and hopeful. If I were to not do the surgey the lesions could get worse and break off and become a loose body in the joint. And the chances for arthritis would be much greater at a younger age.
I feel she will most likely have arthritis sooner in her life anyway.

I would like to do dressage with my mare and the vet and surgeon both know this. Do I expect to do upper levels of dressage. No never did anticipate that.

At this point I take this whole thing the way I have from the start. One day at a time.
It is about all I can do. I know she is hurting at the moment and I am sad for her because she just gained a bunch of confidence while at the trainers.

She is happy but I know she hurts.

I will post more as things come together.

Halfpass

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

OCD is basically a bone chip, or excess bone growth in the joint. This does sound like an OCD.
Please also keep in mind that 10% of horses have bone chips, either from growth or injury. Removal surgery is generally straightforward, but there is always the risk of fatal infection especially when it is involving a joint.
You can expect a lot of stall rest. You need to keep the joint fairly immobilized so the structures in the joint can heal and re-grow. As far as for rehab and a future career, it is likely she will always be weaker on that side and it will take her longer to become fit than a normal horse. Talk to your vet, but I would recommend putting her on IV Legend and IM Adequan to help her joints out.

Good luck! Joint surgery is scary stuff, but it is fairly routine.

 

[HalfPass]

Thanks Anebel
I already spoke to my vet about the adequan. Both my horses will now be on it. Probly for the rest of their lives.
No biggie.
Three of us at the barn just ordered a ton of it and somehow I am the designated shot giver...lol
So I will be contacting the surgeons office and setting the date. I also want to make certain they have no issue with me begining the "Loading Dose Phase" with the adequan before her surgery. Just to be safe.
I feel for my girl. She has already gone through enough with all the moves she has been through. She is well minded so I anticipate she will do well.

The amount of support I have had here on the Horse Forum has really touched my heart. I have to say thanks to everyone here. You all are awesome!

In the mean time while Candi has her stuff to deal with Halfpass will be continuing her "Rider Boot Camp"


Halfpass

 

[tealamutt]

Anebel has given some good information on treatment (adequan and legend are fantastic), and here's little clarification on the cause. Essentially the exact cause of OCD is unknown but what happens is that there is failure of the cartilage to form properly. Because bone needs a model made of cartilage to form around, this causes failure of ossification (what makes bone hard). The D part of OCD stands for dissecans, meaning to dissect- the bone endplate literally lifts off and can be free floating in the joint.

I'm glad that surgery is an option and that the prognosis is good. Make sure you choose the best surgeon you can find and definitely refer to folks like Anebel, Spyder, and Mercedes who are likely to know a lot about follow up treatments and bringing back a high level horse. Anebel seems to know a world about joints- I'd trust her a lot.

here is a site with some good OCD info. ACVS - Osteochondritis Dissecans Good luck to you both, and sorry you're not having family support on this, if nothing else it helps to have someone be understanding about how emotionally devastating something like this is.

 

[FGRanch]

Glad to hear that things are working out okay for you and Candi, but I'm really sorry that you had to go thru all this in the first place. You've had enough to deal with.

Heading over to read your other thread now so I can get the full story.

 

[JustDressageIt]

Aw, I'm super sorry about the diagnosis, but I am very happy that both vets and the surgeon seem to think Candi will have a 100% recovery It sounds like she's getting the best of care (you, and your vets) and I'm sure that everything will work out just great -- it's just crummy that this has to happen now
I'm sorry, I don't know much about OCD, other than Linda's hubby (a vet) joking that I have it

 

[HalfPass]

Oh thanks so much everyone.
I gave Candi her first shot of Adequan today. SHe hates needles already
I will have to work on that since she will likely be on it forever. Tiny is already on it and has been for quite some time.

Yes it is a sad thing. It just is.
Now Food for thought.
Had I been purchasing this horse for a spendy price tag I certainly would have had the xrays done on her stifles.
But given she was bred by my family and there was never any reason to suspect anything in the stifles, I only had the vet xray the things i knew about.
Sorry to say but I would not have purchased a horse I knew had this problem.


So there you have it. That is the truth. But, I am not sorry that I have her. She is such a doll, so sweet! I am totally stuck on her and what ever comes about we will deal with because they are my kids.

I kick myself for not having purchased the horse health insurance before she left for training. But I had a lot going on at that time and just didn't do it. But I can still get the insurance on both my horses it will not cover the stifles for either horse.
This is a very common issue in TB's and other breeds. I also knew about the fact they really do not have an exact cause. There are many factors researchers feel are part of OCD.

I do know a gal who has and 18.2 Holsteiner that has OCD he had stifle surgery and he is 9 yrs old. She does jumping with him and he does not have any issues.
But other than that one person I don't know anyone who has dealt with this issue.
We will just have to do the best we can for her.

I had her out today and handwalked her. She was a bit hyper, but I dont blame her one bit. She hasnt worked now for almost a week so I get it.
The good news is she is looking healthier every day and gaining weight. I am surprised at how quickly she is gaining. I will be happy she will go into surgery healthy and with more weight on.

The date isn't set in stone but it looks like it will be on Monday the 15th as long as the surgeon doesnt change it. He was not in today so we set it up for Monday but it could change.
She will most likely stay over night. I will be updating as things go on.
You all know me pretty well so you can bet you bottom dollar I will be there after her surgery as long as they will let me. I want her to feel as comfy as she can. I in no way want her to feel I am not there for her.
Between now and then I just want to spend as much time with her as I can...
I am a good mamma!
I will try to take pics and vid throughout the entire thing.
Hp

 

[thunderhooves]

Wishing you both the best of luck and your horse a speedy recovery!