| Results: Coldwater Salt Hydrotherapy for the Treatment of Suspensory Ligament Injuries |
| Case 1: Adult Male Quarter Horse (reining) |
Injury: 75% rupture of left hind proximal suspensory
ligament. |
| Presentation: Moderate heat, slight to moderate
swelling and pain at injury site. Lame at the walk. |
| Treatment: Animal was treated with conventional
stem cell therapy followed by daily coldwater salt
hydrotherapy having one day off per week. After
stall rest following the stem cell, animal was
initially walked daily for 10 minutes and gradually
increased to 40 minutes. Immediate reductions in
heat and swelling were noted following
hydrotherapy treatments. |
| Results: After 6 weeks of hydrotherapy animal was
sound at the walk. At week 6 no visible or palpable
abnormalities were observed, animal was sound at
the walk and trot and was placed on limited
turnout. The new tissue at the site of the lesion was
found to be smooth and uniform on the ultrasound
results. |
| Case 2: Adult Female Warmblood (Dressage) |
Injury: Deep Digital Flexor tendon injury of the right
front leg. |
| Presentation: Animal arrived at High Pointe Equine
to try coldwater salt hydrotherapy as a last resort.
She was not able to bear weight on the injured leg
and as a result walked on 3 legs. Moderate to
severe heat and swelling were observed at site of
injury as well as laminitis on the front left. |
| Treatment: Animal was treated with conventional
stem cell therapy prior to her arrival at our facility.
She experienced a reaction to the stem cells
which severely impacted her prognosis. Because
of her severe lameness she was a candidate for
humane euthanasia. She began daily
hydrotherapy treatment three times per day
having one day off per week. We began 2 minute
walks and increased the time as her condition
improved. Over a period of 3 months, her therapy
program was extended to 40 minutes daily. |
| Results: Immediate reductions in heat and swelling
were noted following hydrotherapy. After 1 week,
the pulses indicative of the laminitis were no longer
present. After 3 weeks she was sound to walk on the injured leg. At 10 weeks no visible or palpable
abnormalities were observed. Animal is now on
daily turnout in a round-pen. She is sound at the
walk and trot and her condition continues to
improve and shis back to limited training. |
