Any experience with Epiphisitis??

[CKC]

(Hope I spelled that correctly)

I contacted someone about a horse(qh/tb) that was for lease. He sounded perfect. Then she tells me he has had Epiphisitis and they had to cut his tendons(in his fetlocks) at the age of 1 because of his growth. His sire is 17.3. He was growing too fast. He is now 8 and has never been lame(this is what I was told). He just placed 3rd at an AHSA show. I rode him and he is incredible. He is a perfect gentlemen and is trained english and western. My vet is going to see him on Friday.

Any information or experiences on this would be greatly appreciated. When I pulled it up on a google search there wasn't much out there.

Kim

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Kim one of my mini foals was getting it at 2 months but we changed moms diet and hers and she got better. She grew 6 inches in 4 weeks and it was too fast for her. Put her and her mom on low protein sr feed and she wasnt lame after a few days anymore so no further action was needed.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Marty]

It's all about the growth plates.

Usually it's brought on by over kill of protein and just too much rich stuff and way too fast. You can usually solve the problem easily by simply reducing the dad gum protein. Never heard of having to cut anyone's tendons though. That's a bit radical but in the thoroughbred world, well, yeah, guess so.......

 

[runamuk]

If the tendons were cut then I am guessing he was growing unevenly and this is done to help the leg remain straight......if they hadn't done that he may well have been like a gelding I owned who had epiphisitis as a yearling he had a club foot for life due to the damage done.......however he also was an excellent horse and quite sound I had him and rode him ALOT when he was in his early teens he went on to raise a couple kids

...I also saw an appaloosa who wasn't treated and was useless as his leg was completely bent ... from the front he looked like < at the knee it was awful.

I reccomend discussing with your vet and doing a prepurchase soundness exam....good luck