Cruciate Ligament

["Kathy Myers" <kathy@nvolve.com>]

Hi everyone,

Just to start, my 2 horses are fine.  This really is a
friend of mine.

Unfortunately, it appears her horse has a cruciate ligament
injury.  He has been very lame.  He's in stall / small
paddock rest.  His stifle is very loose.  This is new, his
stifle used to be OK.  The vet originally thought he'd
injured his collateral ligament but then got second opinions.

Her vet now thinks he has damaged his cruciate ligament... like
maybe he even tore it.  His knee x-rays OK.  The next step
is exploratory microscopic surgery.  What my friend would
like to know is if anyone has had a cruciate ligament injury
in their horse and what the outcome was.  This is a gelding,
so he can't even just be a broodmare.  Plus, he's hurting,
which is not good.

She needs to know if surgery might even be an option in a
horse.  She needs to know if anyone has had one of these
heal.  Otherwise, unfortunately, she's probably facing
putting this beautiful 10yo Fame son down.  No point in
having him confined to a small paddock for the rest of
his life with a painful stifle that won't heal.

He's getting the best from UC Davis for the surgery.  We're
praying that, like in Magnum's case, what this looks like
from the outside isn't what's really going on on the inside.
That the exploratory will find a ligament that can heal.
The last thing her vet told her is he doesn't think it will
ever get any better no matter how long he stays in the stall
and small paddock.

Input?  Please?  Thanks.  Her computer is down, but I will
forward any information ... good or bad... you have to offer.
If you have had a horse with this injury that did not heal,
she needs to know that too so she knows and can make the
right decision for her horse.

Thank you.

:(  - Kathy Myers
in San Mateo, CA with Magnum the TB ex-racer
and Mr Maajistic