Picture of Friends colt..

[Coon Creek Miniatures]

Here are some pictures of a friends colt just born. The knees bow outward in the fronts. What is the name for this again and does it correct themselves?

Thanks

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Contracted or bowed tendons,[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[capall beag]

This photo made me sad!

I looked this up for you in 'Blessed are the Brood Mares' Do you have this book?

If not, from what I have read it is caused in Utero and will not improve naturally. There is a surgery that may be performed, I think?? Depending on severity?

I am only telling you what I read, thought it may be helpful!

This is a great book?

Did he have a complicated birth?

When did you notice this?

Poor little darling! I hope I have misread this??

 

[capall beag]

Check with your vet!

Perhaps if you catch it early he could be helped??

He looks like a darling little colt!

Has a vet seen him?

What did they say?

 

[HGFarm]

This used to be called 'knuckling over' out here.... I would see the vet- I bet with supports correction can be done- babies are very flexible.

 

[Dr. Pam]

He has contracted tendons. Many people, including some veterinarians, want to put them into splints right off the bat. DON"T!!! Exercise helps tremendously in many cases. This little guy may need a good farrier to work with your vet--extensions that come straight out from his toes will help stretch the heels down. Don't try to do too much too fast!! When all else fails, there is a surgical option, but I sure wouln't rush into it.

 

[Boinky]

looks contracted to me too. I dealt with a severely contracted foal once where his soles of his hooves were litterally bent all the way up against his fetlock area. Hot soaks and streaching were recommended and did help to loosen the tendons. It's slow work but does tend to help. he doesn't look like he's severely contracted and i'd recommend definatly exercise as someone else mentioned and doing the streaches!

 

[Boinky]

looks contracted to me too. I dealt with a severely contracted foal once where his soles of his hooves were litterally bent all the way up against his fetlock area.  Hot soaks and streaching were recommended and did help to loosen the tendons. It's slow work but does tend to help.  he doesn't look like he's severely contracted and i'd recommend definatly exercise as someone else mentioned and doing the streaches!

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oh yeah..just another word of encouragement. I have know of some Prix-st georges and grand prix dressage horses that had contracted tendons as foals. it's not a hopeless case. Your foal doens't look horrible as it's able to stand, move and function. I'd give it a good survival and improvment percentage if it were mine.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Dr Pam et al are quite right LEAVE IT ALONE, DO NOT SPLINT/ SUPPORT. I had a colt born as bad as this only this year. He is now 10 weeks and you would not know there had ever been anything wrong. It is worrying but, by interfering we often make it worse as nature has already got her own plan of action. If you start paring feet and putting on splints (I did consider paring) you interfere with nature. I decided to leave it for a week and see. He was so much better I left it another week, and so on. This foal was out 24/7- because his Mama is a serious headcase I never even brought him up for the normal three days, so he was running around freely ALL the time.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

If it is contracted tendons, get the vet to give Tetracycline IV, right away, it has the ability to relax the tendons a bit but you have to do it imediatley.

 

[Dr. Pam]

If it is contracted tendons, get the vet to give Tetracycline IV, right away, it has the ability to relax the tendons a bit but you have to do it imediatley.

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True Robin, but you have to be careful about damaging the kidneys, and it has to be started within the first three days.

Oxytetracycline (20-25 mg/lb) given intravenously does appear to relax the soft tissues. The mechanism of action is unknown, and the drug is most efficacious when given in the first three days of life. This dose is extremely high, but appears to be safe for healthy foals, and can be repeated at 24-hour intervals. The drug should be used with extreme caution (if at all) in foals with renal impairment. The renal parameters should be determined before using oxytetracycline if renal impairment is suspected.

(from my Equine Medicine and Surgery book)
I think, from the pictures, he will do well with exercise alone, but he needs a hands on assessment by a qualified veterinarian.