Help!!!

Question
Hi, I have a question, but I'm not sure if you can answer it (it's LONG).  I'd really appreciate it if you could though. My 10 year old appendix quarter horse has been diagnosed with a extensor process fracture of the coffin bone (it causes pain to him)... He has came to us when he was 6 because his old owner (a rancher who used him HARD)could not use him. She thought he was faking it because he would be fine one 8 hour ride and then lame the next 2 weeks when you first got on him, then on the way home it would "magically" get better. He was apparently sound during his baby years and first years of training and riding. We were told he put his hoof between the poles on a fence and pulled his leg back and something tore..?.?.We are thinking he might have been born with it???  Do you have any info on this or ideas? Also he was shoed on Tuesday and Todays Wednesday and he has lost his shoe. Do you have any ideas of why this happened?


THIS IS THE EMAIL FROM THE VET:
(She does not seem too sure about this or what to do, and seems to have stopped communicating)

"Just wanted to let you know that I sent off Sunny's x-rays this weekend(sorry, busy week at my other job). I should have an answer by the end of the week to see if there is anything we can do with shoeing for your horse. I will pass along that info and the pictures of the x-rays then. I did do a bit of reading and they call this an extensor process fracture of the coffin bone. As you had mentioned, it can be due to an injury- either from hyperextension of the coffin joint or excessive tension on the extensor tendon- or it can be growth related if the bone doesn't from properly in that area. Unfortunately there is some arthritis at the coffin joint and that is likely the cause of the pain. I am not sure why he would show toe pain- unless pressure there moves the coffin bone enough to stress the arthritic area."


2nd one

"I received a reply on your horse's x-rays. They confirmed the diagnosis and as far as shoeing goes have recommended removing toe to bring back thebreakover point (which your farrier is already doing) and also suggestedthat pads might help. They also mentioned that injecting the coffin jointwith depo (a kind of cortisone) could make that foot feel better. Let meknow."

Do you think the depo stuff could work?

Thanks, any little bit of info or opinion could possibly help or open more doors.

Shayla  

Answer
HELLO SHAYLA...THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION...

What your Vet has described is true. The extensor tendon (in layman's terms) is the tendon that
allows the horse to "extend" the limb forward.The extensor process is where it attaches to the
top/front of the coffin bone/distal palanax.

I "strongly" doubt that any of this is from birth/congenital or lack of nutrients while the horse was growing. It is from injury and like many of the clients I HAVE to work with, they are
under some impression that "They will get WELL magically with NO help or MONEY spent" !!
In the southwest it is known as "We'll turn him out and check on him later"!!

You care and doing a very good job of putting the "pieces together" !!

The only thing you can do or have done is keeping him at least half-shod on the front end and
a rocker/rolled toe on the shoe. I will ease breakover and less stress on that area.
Having your Vet inject the coffin joint with hyalartic acid also helps greatly.

His career as a rider will be limited, because anytime you have trauma to a joint you WILL have
arthritis. IF YOU only trail ride him occasionally...he could still have off days after because of the pain. IT COULD HEAL after several injections and rest, but HOW IT HEALS is anyone's
guess. NO ONE can give you that prognosis. They'd only be giving you false hope.

Again...good shoeing and I'd try a few injections to see if if will recover at all.
Alot of "time" was lost before you stepped in.

The Best to You !!
Joepaul Meyers,C.J.F.