A Horse with recurring tendinitis

Equine Medicine Case Study

SPECIES: Horse
BREED: Sella Italiano
GENDER: Gelding
AGE: 8 years old
NAME: Grey

Clinical case:

Following recurring tendinitis to the superficial flexor tendon, caused by posture alignment defects, Grey underwent surgery. The cured tendinitis regularly reoccurred soon after healing, as soon as the horse resumed its activities. After the latest episode, a surgical desmotomy intervention on the accessory ligament was chosen. The recurring episodes of tendinitis were caused by a posture alignment defect, associated with a structural weakness and to the high competitive performance required from the horse. 24 hours after surgery, an oedema was still present on the third distal radius. When a significant oedema is present on the operated section, the risk of post-surgical infections increases.

Therapy:

MLS^® Laser Therapy was employed in order to decrease inflammation and oedema. The chosen program was “ oedema” in points all over the area. A single treatment was given 24 hours after surgery. The post-surgery oedema was immediately reabsorbed and did not reoccur during subsequent days.

Results achieved:

The purpose of presenting this clinical case is to make veterinarian doctors aware of the possibility of employing laser therapy as an aid for managing pain and post-surgical oedemas in daily practice.

Courtesy of Dr. Tatjana Falconi, San Felice del Benaco (BS)