Injured pony...

[kathnsonny]

I am more of a lurker these days but I am having a tough time with Sonny at the moment and hoping for some Dalesfans get well vibes and support. Back in June he came in from the field lame so I left him in a couple of days with bute and hosing but ended up getting the vet out after 3 days as he was still lame. My vet thought he had injured a tendon, so he had an ultrasound scan at the vets which came back clear, so we box rested him for 3/4 weeks and then tried turnout during the day, but after 5 days he was lame again. So after speaking to the vet he had another 2 weeks in and then just walked him out in hand at first before turning out to see what happened. Unfortunately after 6 days he was lame again.
I wasn't convinced there was nothing going on at this point and the vet agreed so back to the vets again this time with nerve blocks and another ultrasound. This time they found a lesion on his digital flexor tendon but also that his annular ligament had thickened. This was a month ago and the vet came out to reassess him last night. He is comfortable in walk, but still 4/10 lame in trot so no improvement which was really disappointing as I felt like he had made progress.

So if you have made it this far...now the hard part. The best option for recovery is surgery to cut his annular ligament to relieve the pressure on his tendons, but he is 17, I have said no to surgery I really don't think I can put him through it - there are no guarantees and if it goes wrong or there are complications such as infection etc. or increased risk of colic...
The other options are limited - he is going in on Thursday to have a steroid injection into his tendon sheath that may help reduce the swelling although the vet was not very hopeful but thought we may as well try. Then just see how he fares this winter, though I am dreading the weather turning as the fields tend to turn to mud and he is going to need to be turned out every day if possible.

Am I doing the right thing? Or should I consider the surgery? I should add that I am more than happy to retire him, but obviously only if I can do so pain free. I am hoping someone can read and offer me their experience on anything similar. He is my pony of a lifetime, I can't imagine not having him around and am absolutely gutted

[Debbie]

First of all I'm so so sorry you and Sonny are going through this! It can be so disheartening with a lameness that refuses to behave and be diagnosed. We'll certainly be sending along all kinds of "get well soon, and ease those tendons" vibes for you both.

I don't have firsthand experience with the injury, but I thought there were a couple of Dales ponies who have had the same issue with their annular ligaments and they've been turned onto pasture for almost a year and come in sound again. I want to say GreyDales' Dan, but I may have the pony wrong? Upshot is, sometimes it is possible that turning them out and giving them time can help.

I'm very hopeful that others who have faced more intensive lameness issues can come on and give you help regarding the surgeries. I do know that the surgeries themselves have advanced massively in the last few decades. Perhaps this is something that could be done with him sedated, but standing up and the leg anesethized?? I've been shocked at some of the surgeries they've managed to do without having to knock the pony flat out.

Also, you may be able to give him secondary support with massage, chiro, osteopathy, and even magnetic or cold laser treatments. Sometimes having the secondary treatments in place will help to support him as he recovers from the primary injury and help to ease the lameness, keeping him more comfortable.

Gosh, I hope it all works out well so you can figure out a routine that will keep him comfortable and will be doable as the winter approaches.

...and a stray thought, but does he have any abcess issue in that foot which would have caused him to walk funny, and maybe put some strain on those tendons and ligaments? I'm just wondering if he may have strained his leg by trying to make himself more comfortable while walking about. I only mention it as I have a mare who gets abcesses in the summer (the field is too rich for her) and given the chance, she will walk very oddly as she tries to set her front feet down more comfortably.

Hang in there and try to get as many options as you can to chose from. Will keep everything tightly crossed for luck and good healing vibes from here!

[harveydales]

Sorry to hear about your problem. Like Debbie, I don't have any first hand experience of annular ligament trouble. Greydale's Dan did have it and Gill retired him because of it. As Debbie said, after a some time (can't remember how long) he came sound. I seem to remember she went through a similar dilemma to you, whether to try surgery or field rest and chose the latter. Dan must have been a similar age to Sonny at the time. I will do some searches and see if I can find the links for you.

What does you vet advise? Like you, I try to avoid surgery on an older pony but 17 isn't really that old for a Dales. AL fingers and hoofs crossed for you.

[kathnsonny]

Thank you guys, Debbie they have ruled out any underlying/brewing abscesses and my farrier is excellent (he actually does most of the remedial work for the vets). It's so hard I just desperately want to do the right thing for him. I think the vet would probably advise surgery, but as I said I didn't want to go that route it's not something I have really discussed with her. Maybe I should have a conversation with her tomorrow and at least hear the full pros and cons. It's difficult as my vet who was dealing with Sonny and knows him well is now away on maternity leave so I am finding her replacement a little difficult to talk to.
Is Gill still active on here at all? Do you think she would mind me sending her an email?

[harveydales]

No, Gill doesn't come on here any more but I am quite sure she would be happy to talk to you. I will PM you.

[tinkerdorisalison]

Me!
Doris became lane with this, when she was 11 I think. Did all the rest/etc. We were offered surgery with pretty good odds of full recovery/back to full work. Unfortunatly at that time I could not afford it, and did not want to put her thru total knock out for the surgery.

She had Alice instead. and then Duke

I did, and have since tried to bring her back into gentle work (she was field sound) but although the swelling is subsided, any work sets it off again. She is currently unlevel but is out on grass , seems happy, and its a front one now.....


A few years ago I spoke to someone who had both hinds done at the same time on her then 17yr old horse, he made fantastic recovery and was back doing everything and she said he was better than ever.. I do now wish I'd found the money and had it done, as I miss riding Doris sooo much

[kathnsonny]

Thank you, I am so torn about what to do. He's having his steroid injection today I will have another chat with the vet today.

[kathnsonny]

So Sonny had his steroid injection yesterday. I also had a frank conversation with the vet. She has confirmed that at present he is not really "field sound" and so if there is no improvement or any worsening at all after 4 weeks he will either have to have the surgery or be put to sleep. So, if that is the case I am leaning towards having the surgery done as this would at least give him some chance. But if there were any complications such as infections etc. I would call it a day and hopefully he wouldn't have suffered too much as I desperately want to avoid this.
My vet said she thinks I am doing the right thing giving it a chance with the steroid injection without rushing into the surgery so this does give me a little comfort. Currently sat at work with tears rolling down my face so I think I better leave it there for now but thank you for your support and I will keep you all updated.

[tinkerdorisalison]

((HUGS))

I know exactly how you feel, try to focus on the positive, ignore the negative (thats what I do).

xx

[harveydales]

Yes, you are giving him every chance, you can do no more. Thinking of you

[dalesnfellfan]

I don't have experience with anular ligament but have experience of other injuries, 2 resulting in operations so I will share my experiences and hope it helps.

1st. suspensory ligament damage right fore to Arab- rest then back to work 6 months later same injury to left fore, rest, back into work 3 months later reinjury to right fore, rest 6 months later although looked sound getting increasingly grumpy and scans showed ligaments on both legs breaking down so had him put down at 16yo.

2nd Stifle injury in 6yo Sec. D after several attemps to drain and inject stifle she had an operation to remove torn meniscus and had to injure many months of box rest, she coped very badly with this despite the 'box rest being a 12' x12' corral but she did come sound and resumed work, although the box rest changed her and she couldn't cope with life very well. She was always a headshaker but this became worse to the point where she was striking her face with her legs in the field. I didn't want to put her through more surgery with only 50% chance of a good out come so she was put down at just 7yo

3nd ringbone in 13yo Fell Spud,in left fore xrays showed some changes in right fore also. I chose not to have operation to fuse the pastern joints as he had already put down bone spurs. 8 months rest and he was sound enough to be ridden lightly through the winter when the ground was soft but was lame n summer on hard ground and on bute. He continued like this for 3 years and I questioned whether it was fair for him to be lame for 3-4 months each summer but he seemed to still be enjoying life and he really enjoyed going for walks out in the winter. He was put down at 16 when he failed to come sound on soft ground in the winter and was showing signs of not being happy.

4th Emerald 7yo Dales mare with underlying gut problem, she fractured her splint bone 2 years ago I chose to have an op to remove the bone, the op went well and she returned to soundness, however all the drugs tipped her gut over the edge and she became a nightmare to handle. She had 6mts treatment for her gut and after 15mts off work came back into work last November, she is now 100% sound and enjoying life.

With hindsight I think I would still have had the operations on the 2 mares and I think given the time again I would have chosen to have tried the operation for Spud. I didn't work out for Briallen but it has for Emerald and I now have a happy sound pony with years ahead of her. I know she is younger than Sonny (now 9) but he's not that old for a Dales pony.

I wish you luck with whatever decision you make, you know Sonny better than anyone and I'm sure you'll make the right decision for him along with your vet.