Upper fixation of the patella

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SHANA

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I just had to have the vet out for one of my horses and was told it was upper fixation of the patella. Has anyone had this happen, had surgery, etc. Please let me know. Thanks!
 
Do a forum search, you'll find TONS on the subject. Take my advice from hardwon recent experience and don't waste your time on the splitting surgery.
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If they need a surgical fix then go straight to having the ligament cut and get it over with. It works and at least in my one-horse experience it's actually easier on them than the splitting is.

Leia
 
My mini has this problem. I did a couple vet consultations. They told me to work him and get his muscles strong. He was doing good and then just this week he did something playing and is now back to locking and acting stiff. :DOH! But I have him on joint supplements. I know that backing them helps loosen the locked joint. So I'm thinking of starting him of backing exercises to help him out. My vets said that he needed more muscles to keep his tendon in place.

I know they do an injection. Legend is what the stuff is called. Its suppose to last about 3-4 months. My friend had it done to her one stallion a while ago and said it really helped him a lot. But its pretty expensive to get done all the time.
 
My vet is coming Wednesday to do the surgery, just never had a horse with this problem before. So has me worried. This is also not a mini but a full sized horse that I had planned to show under saddle this season.
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Oh dear, that does add some complications. I'm sorry to hear you're having this problem! At least there's little question the horse can be returned to happy healthy comfortable living even if perhaps there might be some limitations on jumping or other strenuous mounted activities. I'm not sure there are such limitations, but there might be for a weight-bearing ridden horse as opposed to a driving horse. Check with your vet!

Leia
 
yeah my vet told me she wouldn't be able to jump but I wasn't planning on jumping her. He said she should be fine for what I want to show her in, halter and pleasure but that I can't ride her for at least a month and nothing strenous for a year. I have 2 other horses to ride so am not worried about riding her or showing her this season at this time. Just want her able to walk and not drag her hind leg.
 
When I talked about this with my vet with my mini, he said he does it often on quarter horses. Said they are bred to grow so fast that these problems occur. He made it sound that after cutting them, the horse is out for a little while and then its fine. I would definately ask how this will affect your horses performance before doing it.
 
Already asked my vet that and he said a month after teh surgery she can be ridden and will be fine but no jumping. She is going on 4. I own her dam.
 
In a mild case, the excercise can over come the problems many times without having to do the surgery, but they must be IN SHAPE, with forced excercise. Our vet has recommended to those that have had the problem (an aquaintance has one) to get the horse in shape hard- not just mild stuff, but really in shape. Yes the muscle helps hold everything where it is supposed to be. However, there is no quick and easy fix. The surgery helps in cases where you have no other choice, but there are problems with the surgery too- like causing arthritis in those joints later on.

However, rather than live in misery, the surgery can certainly give them a more normal and usable life. I would never breed one with this problem. (Unfortunately the person I know has not done the excercise on the horse at all that was recommended by the vet and it's been a year now and it's getting worse. She has also refused to geld the horse and wants to use him for breeding and didnt want to notify the breeder either that he had the problem! Good grief!)
 

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