RE: Extensor Tendon Injury

["Thomas, Barb" <thomas@amgen.com>]

Wind Dancer injured her extensor tendon on her left front leg last winter.
We wrapped it and iced it.  She was only ever so slightly off at the walk
and the trot appeared normal.  The swelling was large, about half the length
of the cannon bone.  It never did go down.  As soon as the wrap came off,
you could stand there and watch it swell up.  I hosed it, hand walked her,
brought her up slowly but nothing was going to reduce the swelling short of
a blister.  I'd rather have the blemish.  She went sound in a few weeks.
Her ultrasound showed substantial thickening of the tendon (duh!).  The
extensor tendon is not a weight bearing tendon, so such an injury isn't
usually as severe as flexor tendon damage or suspensory tears.  Her injury
did not end her career, but fibrotic myopathy (fancy name for scar tissue
replacing muscle) from a muscle tear in her hindquarter did!  Such is life.
Good luck with your friend's horse's recovery; the injury is normally not a
limiting factor for an endurance horse.

Barb


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