Posted by Danvers on April 19, 2003 at 12:13:05:
In Reply to: Re: Navicular Syndrome with erosion to Danvers posted by Suzanne on April 12, 2003 at 13:30:16:
Suzanne,
It's possible that there was enough prior damage that your horse is still at risk even though he's now evidencing as sound, and I would not want to discount what your vet has advised. Nevertheless, all things considered--especially with such improvement, I would want more specific and detailed diagnostic procedures and probably a second opinion before I wrote this horse off.
~~Danvers
: Hi and Thanks for the reply,
: In answer to your questions the radiographs were done with a portable machine and multiple shots were take but not multiple shots of the same view. The vet was referring to the coffin bone not moving but maybe she was referring to erosion to the coffin bone and to the flexor tendon? I know she was referring to the tendon because she said that if that breaks he will have to be put down. She did not do an ultrasound so I am not sure how she determined any deterioriation of the tendon.
: This horse has had corrective shoeing done over the last 8 months and is just becoming sound over the last 2 months based on the shoeing and growth of the hoof. Again the vet is comparing xrays from July of last year to the ones she took 2 weeks ago.
: My real issue here is that this is so sound it is unreal. He has not been this sound in 5 years and she is telling me to retire him. I am confused. He has had 2 shots of legends for arthritis in the hocks. I lunged him briefly today and he is landing perfectly even on both front feet. His walk and trot are becoming more and more extended. I also wondered how you could see deterioation of a tendon in an xray??? The recommendation is to retire him and keep him in a secluded area for the rest of his life. My theory is that the tendon would then atrophy from not using it and he would be in worse condition. I am of course, not a vet but am very confused. I have had him for 5 years and he finally becomes sound and I am told not to ride him.
: : Hi Suzanne,
: : Most of your questions will be best answered by Dr. Myers, but you might post a few more things that will help him out with a response. Specifically, how were the radiographs done? The quality of a radiograph is extremely important, especially when looking at rarification of boney structures. I've seen lots of poor radiographs where you had to struggle to see the navicular bone--not because of problems with the bone, but because of problems with the radiograph. Were these radiographs done with a portable machine? And were there multiple shots taken?
: : Likewise, since soft tissue structures don't show up radiographically, other diagnostics must have been done to determine the damage to the flexor tendon. Was this assessed with ultrasound? If not, what procedure was used?
: : Finally, since you're talking about a club condition existing on the RF, and since you refer to the bone having "not moved," it sounds as if the bone of concern might be the coffin bone rather than the navicular bone. Was there any mention of this?
: : ~~Danvers