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DDFT Injury (Horse)
Hello everyone! I seem to pop in from time to time (and mainly lurk), but figured it wouldn't hurt to see if anyone else had dealt with a similar injury.
Two weeks ago my 20 y/o Quarter Horse began to limp on his right foreleg. Nothing too horrid, just really 'ouchy'. He would stand with his leg cocked, intentionally keeping weight off the heel and balancing mainly on his toe. I suspected an abscess originally, though I couldn't find any hot/tender spots. He had no swelling or heat in his leg, anywhere.
Fast forward three or so days. I had contacted the vet, he suggested keeping an eye out, giving him a few days to see if he had merely managed to pull something. I was out of town for the weekend, but my mother kept an eye on him and proceeded to do epsom salt soaks (in case we were dealing with an abscess). When I returned home on Monday morning, he had swelling down the rear of his cannon bone, all the way down to his coronary band.
Ice and cold soaks helped to bring down the swelling, and the vet came out that afternoon. After much poking and prodding (much to Bill's pleasure) he confirmed that he had strained his Deep Digital Flexor Tendon. He suggested four weeks of no work, and Bill's also been wearing supportive boots on his front legs during the day, to help prevent any additional damage. We're unsure as to the severity of his strain, although we've had no swelling/heat/limping since (knock on wood).
Anyone else with any experience rehabilitating post tendon injury? I've been doing a little reading and such in preparation. If he shows any signs of limping at the conclusion of his month off, the vet intends to do an ultrasound of his leg. Thanks in advance for any information!
Re: DDFT Injury (Horse)
I haven't had to deal with a tendon injury lately (knock on wood). I'm sorry to hear that... it can be frustrating!
I think you're going about it the right way with the supportive boots and ice and cold soaks. As long as it's not something crazy severe, I've found being able to move around is also good, which it sounds like he can do.
Once your vet gives the okay to start work, I would start with some easy ground work, gradually increasing time and intensity before you saddle him up again.
Keep us updated on how it goes! Good luck!
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if it is just a strain and not a tear, you are doing good with the support boots and the cold soaking. I have successfully worked with many tendon injuries as an equine physical therapist, including a 75% severed biceps tendon on a Warmblood that was caused by a dislocated shoulder. My general advice is:
If it is lower leg, use support wraps or boots. Cold hose for 45 minutes to 1 hour every day. After 1 week, avoid using the ice and just use the cold hose. Follow the cold hosing with a liniment rub. When you upwrap the legs to start cold therapy, make sure you go cold gradually because the leg is going to be warm under the boot and you don't want to cause too strong of a contraction in the tendon. You want to encourage a gradual tightening of the fibers and a decrease in any inflammation.
If your vet gave you a bute prescription, you might want to consider a natural alternative like BL-Solution. The Warmblood with the shoulder injury had ulcers and the bute was causing a massive problem with the ulcers so we switched to the BL-Solution. 1oz. is the same as 1 bute tab, so you can keep the dose the same. It works awesome without the side effects.
Once you are cleared, start hand walking him (even if he is on turnout) for 5 minutes a day. Cold hose him after you are done. Once he can do that without coming up sore, increase to 10 minutes. Build up this way until you are hand walking for 45 minutes each day. After this, start riding. Slowly though. Start with just 45 minutes of walk. No tight circles or deep footing. If he starts to get sore during your ride, stop immediately and cold hose his legs. After he is ok with the riding for 45 minutes at a walk, start to build him up with 3 minutes of trot (1.5 minutes each direction). Once he is ok, move it up to 6 minutes. Once you have reached 30 minutes of trot, introduce 3 minutes of canter and build the canter in the same way as the trot. Once you are at 20 minutes, he will be ready to start training for whatever discipline you are competing in. At this point, he will be healed up and have a basic level of fitness to work from as a foundation to avoid injury in the future.
One thing to keep in mind is that it might take a little longer for him to reach healing milestones because of his age. Even though it is a pain to go slowly, in the end you will be rewarded with a perfectly sound horse because you did it properly.
Sorry this is so long. Good luck with your boy.