Re: Underslung Fetlocks

["Duncan Fletcher" <dfletche@gte.net>]

Sounds like degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (dsld) - the key here
is the bilateral nature. Have you had any current ultrasounds done?
Suspensory damage should be evident. Are you looking at windpuffs or you
looking at enlarged suspensories? Assuming it is dsld, I am unaware of any
treatment and long term prognosis is not good. Appropriate shoeing can make
the horse with advance cases more comfortable - contact Jan Young, DVM at
Cave Creek, Arizona. There is some limited research being done at the Hoof
Project at Texas A & M.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry D Milam Jr" <milamj@agtelco.com>

>
> I need some advice from a veterinary perspective about a problem I see
> progressing slowly with my 9yo arab. Anyone else out there have any
experience
> with this?
>
> Some medical history about him is in order. He sustained a 50% tear of his
L
> rear suspensory 3 yrs ago. He is healed well from that injury and is
rideable,
> but we don't do endurance any more. He is now trusted with our kids riding
him;
> they are light and he'll take good care of them. He now has what seems
like
> permanent windpuffs bilaterally on hind and both fetlocks are sagging much
lower
> than his front fetlocks. He doesn't move in an awkward way and there isn't
any
> detectable lameness.
>
> My farrier recently commented to me that his hocks are really straight. I
> started looking at him and it does seem that because his fetlocks are so
> overflexed, his hocks have compensated for the imbalance with less flexion
than
> they used to have.
>
> My question is this. Is there something that can be done surgically to
correct
> this imbalance in the fetlock, so the hock can regain it's normal flexion?
I
> know there must be long term problems associated with this kind of
imbalance. If
> there is something surgically that can be done, I'd like to have that
option
> while he's still young.
>
> If it would help I can send a jpeg of him for analysis.
>
> Thanks everyone,
>
> Susan and Sabian
>