Could you explain the ligament snip procedure? Why the vet recommended it and what is supposed to help? This is all so interesting!

They cut the ligaments to relieve the pressure between vertebrae and increase the space between them. It is done sedated, but still standing up 

My horse was laid on his side.  And Dr. Honnas said that he lays them on their sides now bc who wants to have back surgery and not be asleep (he said this on a Webinar).  And he said he gets a better feel.  Mine also had bone shaved and was more intensive than just the ligament, he had both.

Everything still going good except one thing and I am sure that its probably normal at least I hope and I will be calling vet today to ask.  But when you pick up on the right front foot he hesitates and he no longer wants to roll (he has always rolled everyday at least once) and he was fighting me to roll before this past Friday and I finally get the ok to let him and now he doesnt want to.  But the hesitation is more than what it was right after surgery.  I pick his feet up to clean them.  .It is also the foot/leg that he would elevate off and on before surgery when he would pick up a lope.   

Good thing I talked to vet yesterday! lol  First of all I know he had surgery, but it doesnt make it easy to see the downs.  and we had one today.  Yesterday when I talked to vet he said its not unusal that he is a little off on one leg (by off I mean when I pick it up he hesitate, but walking great!)  and main thing is any swelling or heat.  And he said some horses will show nothing as far as pain and then there is some that shows alot.

Today when walking he wanted to roll and since vet said it was ok I let him.  He got bout 1/2 way down and then he tried to get back up and did struggle and then once he got up he wouldnt put any weight on the right front and he tried to take a couple steps forward and couldnt put any weight on it. then he just spread all four legs and kinda hung his head and had a look on his face!  My heart did drop! and was so mad that I let him try to roll! but then after a few seconds he straigtened himself up and took a couple tenative steps and then walked a couple normal steps and starting eating grass like nothing happened! and he was able to walk the rest of the time just fine.  I really think that if he had gotten down Im not sure if he would have been able to get up! Maybe it just felt really weird to him.  I dont know but it wasnt pretty!

I go to get recheck next Friday.  I am going to ask him some questions like when was the last day of his pain meds and is that why he was able to roll the first day home in his stall and thats why he cant roll now bc meds wore off?

Since the ligament was snipped what happens to ligament next? 

I am calling tomorrow to ask if I should be walking more or just let him eat grass.  He getting where he just wants to eat grass and doesnt care if we walk.  I dont know if he should be walking so we using some muscles or if its just to get out of the stall a bit. 

So if you guys have any questions that you want to know or that I should ask tell me!

We have not talked to Iowa State yet. But when you go back.  Ask them What if I don't have a stall to put one in for recovery.  Can I just leave her in a small pasture by herself.

With that type of surgery I would stall. Since you dont have a stall I would buy some portable panels and a make smaller area/pen.. 

When I went to pick up horse he said that he didnt want the horse moving alot.  and had to be put in stall for at least 45 days.  He said that the ligament is what takes so long.  I dont know for other horses, but when I first got home he wanted to run and kick up but he also realized now that he not ready for all that! He is very protective on what he does now! but he still moving really nice!

I have 14 16 ft corral panels  but not a building to put her in. 

We might have to wait till next summer to have her operation as we are in northern Iowa. 

I talked to vet yesterday bc the right leg when you pick it up and raise it to clean foot out he winces and we noticed that he has a bulge that shouldnt be there at the top of shoulder when you pick it up.  we think that he may have his shoulder out of whack so thats why I called vet yesterday and got the ok to take to chiro, but to make sure that he is really easy with him!

The chiros I go to is really gentle anyways and was able to get into one tomorrow night. and then he goes sees the vet on Friday for his recheck! 

I cannot believe it has been almost 30 days the 18th!!!!

His eyes still soft and he still moves really nice! and he is still handling the stall really nice too!

I forgot to ask again bout what we do at recheck! guess I'll find out Friday!

and I did ask him bout the ligament, he says it will grow back together.

Also, the stall is just to keep him from running and hoping he doesnt buck in stall.  But you can walk however long you want too.  He can walk all day if I wanted to walk him that much as long as he doesnt jump around and be stupid.  But since the shoulder thing (which I think he did it backing out of trailer and trying to roll and got himself in a bind) all he wants to do is eat grass he doesnt care if he walks. 

Also the bumps from the stitches and surgery are lots smaller!  some are completely gone! 

cant wait for recheck!

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Sorry! I was having trouble posting earlier and I guess I lost post!

I was not able to see Dr. Hand bc he was in surgery but I did see a lady vet but I dont remember her name.

The good news is that they xrayed his back and he doing really good! not sore in back and his xrays look like they supposed to.  There is some small changes but they said that is completely normal. 

Bad news is that his knee is extremely sore when you pick it up to bend it. 

He has a bone chip/shard that is attached to the back of the knee.  Vet says usually its the ligament that is painful not the bone.  and to see how much damage or any would need to do MRI. which I have no money for.  She said that normal protocol is stall rest and injecting.  She also said that surgery really not an option bc back of the knee the prognosis is not very good.  Which in this horses case I wouldnt do the surgery if it was any optiong so the MRI would be out of the picture anyways.    In his case the injection would be the upper joint.  so again it proves to xray before you inject bc the normal is injecting the bottom joints.  Without xrays we wouldnt know to inject the tops.  this is good to know when he starts running again.

I AM NOT BLAMING ANYONE!  Any surgery comes with alot of risks and this is just one of the things that happened.  I dont believe he got the bone chip but I do believe he got the damage/inflamed ligament from the lifting on and off the surgery table bc I did his feet 2 days before surgery. (I do myself) and he had no problem letting me do the feet and he had no problem loading in trailer. 

When I picked him up after surgery he walked like a million bucks! but he couldnt put any weight on his right front leg (chip) to load in trailer.  I thought it was bc he was sore from the surgery! I wish I could rewind time and went back into the clinic and say hey he cant put weight on the front leg.  Then I could have already started treating the leg instead of 30 days later!  I'm hoping that it is inflamed only from the surgery bc of the way they lift them up to get to the table.  But Ill be honest I'm afraid that more damange is done from the lifting than just inflamed.  He is worse on the knee as time goes on and he had been in the stall for 30 days already. 

The vet said another 30 days in stall and I did message Dr. Hand and he said minimal walking for 2 weeks just let him graze.

I will do runners relief, icing, and my respond leg piece. and of course PRAYING!

If he doesnt get over the knee he will be done and be a pasture pet.  But I'm not giving up yet!

I hope this helps someone! I know I learned a valuable lesson! If I ever go thru a surgery again and something not right I'm not going to assume its from surgery.  and If I know they have bone chip to be sure and let surgeon know, which in this case we had no idea. 

Look into Noltrex for injecting his knee. Try the normal steroid first to get the swelling down but if he needs injecting again, I'd highly recommend noltrex. My gelding is trying to grow himself a new knee and I've been able to keep him sound this way. 

Thank you! I will!

Keep your chin up and stay positive. 

Prayers from Tennessee!

I went this past Friday and met Dr. Hand for checkup.  Good news is his back is awesome! no pain anywhere!  I will post pics either tonight or tomorrow.

Dually is lots better on his knee.  Dr. Hand says knee has quite a bit arthritis.  Some of it old and some is new.  said that he does need another surgery. to do acuscope and clean it up.  or we can inject the top and bottom and hope that it works.  Said some do ok some dont with the injections with what Dually has.  I cant do another surgery on this horse.  He did say if I decide to we would need to wait 30 days.  I went ahead and did the injections and I am going to put my respond leg boot on knee every day.  Because we injected he is to stay in stall for 7 days and then he can have stall and paddock for 3 weeks and then I can call him and we will do a phone/video consult. and thinks we will probably be able to turn out full pasture for 30 days and then we will start rehab with riding.  Which he will give me riding instructions when the time comes. 

Last week Dually broke out of stall on me! He ran and ran for 5-10 mins.! and would not let me catch him til he was bout out of breath! He bucked and reared (only 1/2 way up! He used to rear all the way up when he feels good before surgery! So I'm sure the back not letting him go all the way up yet!)  He never took a lame step! or show any knee pain! and he moved so nice!  Course he didnt do any sharp turning.  I think he is rolling in his stall bout every 5-6 days bc I see shavings on his back on one side and he seems more sore on the knee the next day or two and then gets better knee wise.

Since his break out, he has been able to let me pick his feet now! and ea day I could been the knee more and more.  Yesterday I was able to do his front feet for the 1st time since surgery! He is barefoot.  Now he is able to hold his weight more on the knee when I pick up the other feet. 

Glad to read a good update on Dually! 

Here's pic of back.  I got turned him out in small area for bout 10 mins. He moving pretty good! He can rear 3/4 way now! And he can roll!!!! He rolled like 4c! Not 100%  but huge improvement!  He doesn't have very good top line and has lost his roundness of butt   His haircoat not great right now bc I need to worm him and he on epm treatment and with everything he been going thru I didn't want to do everything at once on him.  

Poor baby, so gald that hes got a good mommie to take care of him

I talked on phone to Dr. Hand right after christmas and got the ok to turn out in pasture!

Dually doing really good! even with the knee!  He is running and bucking and rearing and rolling!  He is also no longer elevating when he takes off into a run!

So first week of February I walk (I can ride or lunge)

2nd week I can add trotting and then I call to check in with Dr. Hand.

But basically work on legging him up and do what he can handle.

He doesnt have a protocol to follow as far as exercises or legging up.  and I message Dr. Honnas and he says the same just leg him up.

I have been to a rehab facility for bout a month with another horse of mine and will incoporate what I have learned from there. 

If anyone has legged one up from this surgery please share what you did

Dually still have the bumps going down his spine. and he is not sore at all in his back!

It looks like he starting to fill in topline a little but he so fuzzy it may be just the hair.