Equine Health

Lameness

Tendon & Ligament Injuries

Be wary of the horse that seems a little "off"

Sometimes the amount of lameness that a horse exhibits after an injury does not accurately let you know how serious of an injury the horse has sustained. For example, many people will be certain that their horse has a fracture due to the fact that he cannot bear weight on one limb and is in severe discomfort. While that may mean a fracture, more commonly a sole bruise or abscess is the cause. These are easy to treat and the horse will recover in a few days.

Other times a horse will finish an athletic event and just seem a little “off” on one limb. While it may be tempting to think “its just a sprain” or “he took a wrong step,” most likely it is NOT worth riding the horse until a veterinarian with experience in sports injuries has done a complete lameness exam. Ligament and tendon injuries in horses can be very subtle, but have devastating consequences. A leg injury of this nature can end a horse’s career, and even sometimes threaten their lives. However, while some injuries might be to severe to allow for a full recovery, today it is possible to rehabilitate many of the more common leg injuries, with some horses returning to their full use after therapy.

Initially, all horses with tendon and ligament injuries must be rested and confined. Once digital quantitative ultrasound and digital radiography has been used to document the extent of the injury and get a “baseline,” then therapy can begin. Although Bute and steroid treatment may be used to keep the horse more comfortable, it is important to remember that they are not healing the injury. It used to be recommended that horses with these injuries be confined for a year before slowly going back to work. Now, new therapies are available for shortening the rest time and improving greatly the chance of recovery.

In our practice there are several therapies which can be used to significantly decrease the healing time and to increase the chances of a full recovery. One such therapy is shockwave treatment. High-energy sound waves are directed to the affected part of the body and used to generate a healing response. The procedure usually takes 10-20 min. and can be done under light sedation on an outpatient basis. Gene therapy is also used in our practice. Stem cell repair uses fat from the injured horse to generate stem cells in a laboratory, which are then injected into the injured area. Stem cells allow the tendon or ligament to re-build itself; without this matrix the body lays down scar tissue which is weaker and more prone to further injury.

There have been many documented positive results of horses successfully returning to full competition, even racing, after suffering a devastating tendon or ligament injury. However, the best way to win with these injuries is to not only get an immediate and accurate diagnosis and state of the art treatment, but to monitor the horses progress with routine ultrasounds and examinations. The tendon or ligament must be observed with digital ultrasound to accurately asses healing… returning to training too early can be as devastating as the original injury and can ruin any chance of a full recovery.