Twins Update - Cam Trouble or Not?

[risingrainbow]

My twin filly, Scandalous Surprise, has just been diagnosed with a crushed hock. The recommendation is to put her into a brace but unfortuantely there doesn't seem to be an such thing as a brace for an equine foal, let alone one as small as Surprse. So now it's time for thinking outside the box. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

For history, it appears the hock has been injured for quite some time because it has begun to calcify. The filly is in good spirits and on stall rest. I'm afraid the resting is not as much as the vets would like to see because her spirits are so good. Other than the brace, they think the treatment will also entail some stripping of the bone to help even out the growth to hopefully make the joint as normal as possible under the circumstances. More definites on the treatment and prognosis will come sometime at the beginning of the week when the vets at Pillchuck will have received the x-rays and will be able to compare with the radiologists report. From what I understand she'll probably never be a riding horse but will be able to be saved as long as she continues to tolerate the treatment. She has a heart as big as the ocean so I think we're pretty good there.

I'm not great at this posting thing so not sure how to add an image once I click the button or I would add a current pic of Trouble and Surprise. Again, any ideas on how to come up with a brace for Surprise's hock would be most appreciated.

[joy]

I had a friend who had a dwarf filly that could not walk the day she was born, her little hooves pointed right up to the sky! The husband was a machinest and he fashioned little high heels that strapped on with velcro. She could immediately walk and run! If you know of a machinist, and can coordinate between him and your vet........you might have a chance. Good Luck, and I wish you the best of luck. Keep us updated. Velcro is a wonderful tool.

[Meghan]

oh,surprise!!!!!
i love you so much...prayers to rising rainbow arabians

[Wendi]

What about an air boot, didn't they put one on Barbaro after surgery? I would think a vet hospital would have one for a dog that would fit a foal, I know the large dog coats fit my mini foals. Or how about one of those inflatable "swimmies" that go around a baby's arm, would certainly give some support. Best of luck in your search and please keep up updated on Surprise's recovery.

[hedgemom]

Thinking outside the box and having raised giant breed dogs, have you checked any canine sources for a hock brace or splint (forgive me if this is totally inappropriate as I know nothing about horses).

www.dogbrace.com/ is one source
handicappedpets.com/splints/index.htm is another

Perhaps someone can mold something similar out of fiberglass. Good luck. Prayers that she return to vibrant health going out.

[mystykunicorn]

I was searching the internet and found this site: www.horsebrace.com It says that they make custom braces for horses of any size!! Maybe they can help. I certainly hope so. I just love those little twins

Hugs & Prayers!

[risingrainbow]

Thanks everyone for your help. Looks like there are several possibilites I hadn't been able to find. WSU is who told me there wasn't anything on the market. Won't they be suprised. I'm going to have to talk with the vet and get more specific information on what kind of support they want her to have. My guess is it's going to have to be the custom brace from the horsebrace people because I think they want to maintain mobility but I'm not sure. There were a couple of possibilites on the dog sites as well. I don't know how spendy that's going to be but it's starting to look like we're going to have to set up a donation account to help with her medical needs.

In the meantime, Surprise is pretty darn mad that she's not getting to go out and play. While she's appeared to be ok for a while now, Heather sent me some herbs to treat joint ill since that was suspect with the filly's lameness. The herbs arrived on Friday and I started giving them to her right away. Boy, has she perked up!! This afternoon she tried to bolt out the door as I was coming in and when I caught her she laid her ears back flat and bite me to tell me just what she thinks of this stall confinement! Of course, I had to correct her since we don't want her growing up to be a rouge but under my breathe I was laughing at her and totally agreeing with how she feels abou this latest turn of events!

Still don't understand how to plug an image in here, if someone will give me instuctions I'll put up current pics.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[twnpnds]

Can some please help risingrainbow with posting new pics of the twins? I'm dying to see them. I so hope you find a brace for little Surprise. Even if you can't ride her you might be able to drive her. I know of someone that had a horse with a hock injury and could not be ridden. They decided to try driving and that worked great. Please keep us posted.

[Jennifer]

My thoughts and prayers are with your little girl. HUGS

Posting pictures, go to www.photobucket.com set up an account, it will allow you to upload your pictures, when you up load them it will give you 3 boxes URL, Tag, and Img, select the Img box, right click on the box, select all, then copy , then come back here and open the tread, click Ctrl V , or paste, and it will put what you copied into the box....preview it you should have a picture.

[^Purrson^®]

was going to post but wasnt logged in, Jennifer beat me before I logged in, with photobucket you want to copy the url, and paste with [*img][*/img] on either side I beleive. Minus the *'s of course

[Jennifer]

Hi Purrson!! How you been? ;D

[^Purrson^®]

Hi Jenn, I have been good, caught alot of foalings for a while, lately been missing all. Ah well. Planning a vacation with a girlfriend from HS, and hope can get time off work, we havent seen one another since 74 but been in touch, looking to visit Best Friends animal sanctuary. As shes still east coast and I am west coast, planning is interesting

[risingrainbow]

OK, I already have hosting for pics because I do ebay but I use auction software that creates my listing so I don't have to do anything but upload them and then it puts the tags in. So I think if can cheat and use it to get the pic uploaded. Here goes.

[cheri]

Awww! They're so sweet! I remember them now! I saw the news video about them right after they were born! I'm so glad that they are doing well overall! I truely hope that you can get a brace to help her out.

[Sherrie]

Awwww they are beautiful. Best of luck on finding a fix for surprise.