I’ve recently started doing foster and lay-up care for "Off the track Thoroughbreds" through CANTER (Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-racehorses), a dream come true. Having grown up on the track, I know first hand how hard life can be for these young horses who give of themselves so unselfishly; that’s why I made a promise to myself that one day I’d give something back . . . So, here I am . . . One of my first charges was a five-year-old drop-dead gorgeous mare who had bowed a tendon. You could tell by her expression and by the way her ears loped out to the sides that she was in pain, not to mention she came off the trailer on three legs.
I knew my first order of business was to keep her quiet and get the heat and swelling down, which I did by hosing her leg with cold water and applying 90% DMSO gel, followed by wrapping both the injured leg and the weight bearing leg every day. Nevertheless, as a bow is tricky business, I figured I’d better pay attention to “that little voice,” and pass the torch over to someone who really knows something. That’s when I contacted soft tissue expert, Grant Myhre, DVM, and founder of Myhre Equine Clinic in Rochester, NH. But, it got me to wondering, anyway, because it’s not practical to call a veterinarian every time a horse gets into a fix, where is the line between being a neurotic horse owner and someone who’s about to do irreparable damage?
Equine Bowed Tendon Defined
With that said, Dr. Myhre began his counsel at the beginning - by defining a bowed tendon. It’s most commonly a tear of the superficial digital flexor tendon located in the middle of the cannon bone region. The reason it’s called a “bow” is due to the subsequent “bow-like” swelling that appears on the back of the leg. Owing to the lengthy healing process and because the torn fibers are often replaced by fibrous scar tissue, making the leg more vulnerable to re-injury, he recommends getting a baseline ultrasound to be used as the benchmark for future evaluations.
Treatment
Depending on the results, there are a number of treatment programs Dr. Myhre suggests you discuss with your vet if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation. For instance, one of the less expensive approaches, once the initial symptoms have subsided, consists of a 25% Furison + 25% DMSO + 50% distilled water preparation applied to the area and then wrapped. A 50% Listerine + 50% glycerin recipe works well, too and won’t blister the leg. Or, you can put together a self-styled whirlpool out of a plastic garbage can and a garden hose.
Then there are a few non-invasive treatments - therapeutic ultrasound, low-power laser, and magnets, as well as intralesional medications, such as Bapten® that claim good results. Plus, a new technology - Estracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is being touted as the latest breakthrough discovery. Involving the use of high frequency sound waves to stimulate the cells, it’s thought to kick-start the healing process and dramatically speed up recovery time. But, if a surgical procedure is the recommendation, tendon splitting and stem cell replacement are two options that also rate well, although the timeline for each has to be within 90 days of the injury and they can be quite costly.
Exercise
As for exercise, it may entail complete stall rest, hand walking, or light riding, depending on the severity of the bow, the ultrasound evaluation, and the pain level in the horse. Take heart though, there is good news. If diagnosed and treated promptly, followed by sufficient rehab time, and you pay special attention to shoes, ground surfaces, and work programs to prevent a reoccurrence, your horse can make a full recovery –Beauty’s story, I’m thrilled to say.
She’s since been adopted by a devoted “mom” who plans to breed her down the road, as she has a huge pedigree. However, since she’s doing so well, there’s talk of her first embarking on a jumping career, albeit a low level jumping career . . . But, who cares, Beauty’s making a come back . . . that’s all that counts.
