posted by Horse Owner Today |
January 15, 2012 11:55
Q: I have a three 1/2 year old mare who had an injury in early '09 which caused her to bleed into her extensor tendon sheath that runs in front of the hock. The vet drained the blood once and injected the tendon sheath twice in the months after the injury. The swelling just keeps coming back. I had a consult with another vet who suggested surgery to repair the very small tear in the tendon and drain the sheath surgically. Is there anything new that can be done. I wish we could inject the area with something that would break up the blood clots and encourage the body to absorbe the fluid. Any ideas?
A: If a surgeon thinks that surgical repair is feasible then that is how you should proceed. Anything injected will be ineffective as long as tendon sheath fluid and/or blood fills the space. Once stopped, therepeutic ultrasound, wrapping, hydro boot massage etc will help dissipate the accumulated fluids. Dr. Lisa Wayman