Has anyone here had any success diagnosing and/or treating a stifle injury using arthroscopy? If so, what vet did you use? Particularly in the NTX or Oklahoma area. And what was the rehab process like coming back? 

 I’ve had chips removed with good results. I’ve had a couple with meniscus problems and chosen to not do surgery. There are parts of the meniscus that can be reached/repaired by surgery and some that can’t. A good ultrasound should be able tell you what your odds of success are.

Dr. Hague at Oakridge (Edmond, OK) is one of the best for stifle arthroscopy. Rehab process will depend on what they find during surgery (if there is soft tissue involvement, how much cartilage damage etc). 

As Liana D stated, some parts are non-repairable. I had many vets look at my gelding and said to either retire him or try to perform surgery to remove the spur and reattach the meniscus but the surgery was not guaranteed to work. I had Iowa State do x-rays and ultra sounds and sent them to Marty Tanner in Navasota, TX for the final decision to retire him. I bought a new prospect for the cost of the surgery and rehabilitation. Hardest decision ever, best of luck with yours!

My DTF has a meniscus injury. We tried prp and he improved greatly, but must have re-injured in the rehab process. We finally just decided to have surgery after no improvement in 6 mos and inability to get a definitive answer from ultrasound. We went into surgery knowing that the surgery itself was mainly diagnostic. It was expensive, but it was the last resort before having a very young, very talented pasture pet. He had surgery in early June, and they found a tear, a cyst and a sm ligament tear. They removed, repaired and debrided what they could - prognosis fair to good. He just finished Irap and gets stem cells next week. He is weight bearing, but imo is not moving as I would have hoped. It’s a very tough injury to deal with, since very few return to performance sound.

Thanks everyone for the replies! Sounds pretty grim overall. He has had clean xrays and nothing found on U/S so far. He doesn’t have much edema in or around his stifle but he is a 3/5 lame on it. We started IRAP on it this week, but I just don’t have a great feeling about it. I don’t like not having a definitive diagnosis. 

Don’t give up hope! One of the main reasons we elected to have surgery is that a friend had the same “diagnosis” on her good rodeo mare. They went ahead with the arthroscopy/surgery right away and it was not a tear. They cleaned up the cartilage and she was back to running and winning in a few months. The earlier you do it the better, and I know we waited too long.  

Thank you for the encouragment! I am ready to just pull the trigger on the scoping because I won't feel comfortable until I know exactly what were are trying to treat at this point. 

I just got back from Texas Equine Hospital.  They did the arthroscopy and removed a piece of miniscus that was 'flapping in the breeze'.  Prognosis is I have a very expensive pasture ornament now.  Of course the insurance doesn't pay for that change in job status.  

I am so sorry to hear that! That was my worst fear. I ended up doing the scope, and had a better prognosis. Are stem cells an option?

No, stem cell or other regenerative therapies aren't an option because there isn't enough material to regenerate.