# Hairline Fracture of the Cannon Bone



## Amy_08 (25 November 2009)

I'm feeling very sorry for myself. I know there are people worse off than myself, but this year my horse has just been injury prone. My horse has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture of the cannon bone. This is her second fracture of the year, she fractured her splint bone in Feb. This was operated on and the recovery was very quick. She is now on box rest. The vet couldn't find the fracture at first and said it is so small that it should hopefully reabsorb fairly quickly. She had shockwave therapy today and has to be rexrayed in 30 days. Can I just have some positive stories please from anyone whose experienced this, to cheer me up!


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## Fairynuff (25 November 2009)

A pony i hunted many many years ago went 'funny' as we came out of the woods and onto some slightly boggy going. I pulled him up immediately and had no choice but to walk him all the way back to the horsebox. The vet came out that evening and discovered a hairline fracture (near cannon) which was quite obvious on the x ray. Misty spent 6 weeks tied up short in his box to stop him from lying down and had an old fashioned plaster cast from his elbow to the floor. It was a long 6 weeks for all of us but he trotted up sound at the ned of it and hunted for many seasons after. Now this happened way back in the dark ages when things like SW treatment and co didnt exist so Im sure your mare will come sound very quickly and the SW will be of great help. Dont worry yourself to death, you cant change anything and wont do yourself or your mare a favour by making yourself ill. Get well soon Amy_08s mare! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Mairi.
PS, do you know how she did it?


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## Amy_08 (25 November 2009)

Thanks Mairi! She slipped whilst out hacking. She's not lame. She's full of it at the moment. I'm going to feel so bad in the morning when she thinks she's going out in the field and I have to leave her in. I think I cope worse with boxrest than she does!


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## collina (25 November 2009)

My 14 month old filly did this over 8 years ago. They thought it was a splint bone problem at first but they xrayed her and found the hairline fracture. Was on box rest for approx 7 weeks and we have had no further problems and there is not a mark on her. She did have a robert jones bandage on and the vet taught me how to change it. I am sure she will be OK. At least it is winter and not summer. I am sure she will be happy tucked up in a nice warm stable with plenty to eat.


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## star (25 November 2009)

oh no, what a nightmare.  poor Rosy is having a bad year.  and poor you.  a hairline fracture should heal pretty quickly esp with help of shockwave so fingers crossed for a quick recovery.


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## Amy_08 (25 November 2009)

Thanks Collina and you're right she's picked the right time for this to happen, especially with the rubbish weather we are having!


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## Amy_08 (25 November 2009)

Yep, disastrous year, one to forget I think! I'm feeling more positive now and hopefully like you say she should make a speedy recovery.


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## PurplePickle (25 November 2009)

I loaned a horse with the same fracture couple of years ago, he recovered to do Xcountry etc still going well as far as I know


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## star (25 November 2009)

a broken bone is a far better thing to have than ligament damage.  my broken wrist (pretty smashed up needed GA to put back in place) healed in 5wks.  my badly sprained ankle is still giving me serious pain 3mths later.  bones heal really quickly and heal stronger than they were to start with so she'll be ok to go back to full work in the new year and hopefuly the weather might be a bit better then!


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## Adina (25 November 2009)

A little TB I had years ago had a hairline fracture after kicking through a box wall.  This was in the dark ages too and in Nairobi and she did not even wear a bandage.  She was only on box rest for a few days, then in a small paddock and walking exercise for a few weeks.  She was fine and jumping a few months later.


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## TarrSteps (25 November 2009)

A student of mine had a horse that went on again, off again slightly unsound over a winter and, after trying all the usual shoeing changes etc, was found to have a cannon bone fracture.  The theory was he likely had it when she got him out of racing the year before and he'd kept opening it up periodically.  Yuck.

He did have to stay in the box for a couple of months but had no other treatment (shockwave is not nearly as popular, or at least wasn't a few years back, in Canada) and came right as rain.  He's back jumping and has had no further problems.

As said, at least with bone when it's healed, it's healed.  It sucks right now but there's every reason to think she'll make a full recovery.


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## Patches (25 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
a broken bone is a far better thing to have than ligament damage.  my broken wrist (pretty smashed up needed GA to put back in place) healed in 5wks.  my badly sprained ankle is still giving me serious pain 3mths later.  bones heal really quickly and heal stronger than they were to start with so she'll be ok to go back to full work in the new year and hopefuly the weather might be a bit better then! 

[/ QUOTE ]

I have never broken a bone although I have damaged ligaments quite badly. My doctor said ligaments hurt more than simple breaks...and for longer.

My ankle gave me "jip" for nearly a year.


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## Scarlett (25 November 2009)

Amy,

I'm not sure if you'll know my little bay exracer that Southerly hunted with RMA a few times last year. He had a fractured cannon a few years ago when in racing, it healed with a bit of rest and he has went on to race, xc, hunt, hack and do everything that he would have if he had not done it - so chin up!!


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## Amy_08 (26 November 2009)

Thanks guys. Just what I needed to hear to help me stay positive. Totally agree Nicola, I'd rather a fracture than a tendon/ligament. I was saying this earlier that once it's healed that's it, whereas tendons/ligaments are always weaker and often ongoing problems. Scarlett, yep I've seen him. I think Southerly rode him last Boxing Day?


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## Ninfapaola (26 November 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


My ankle gave me "jip" for nearly a year. 

[/ QUOTE ]

My sympathies to you - I did my ankle ligaments 16 years ago and still get the odd twinge.  I was told that a break would have been easier to treat


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## SirenaXVI (28 November 2009)

Oh you poor thing, Sirena fractured her splintbone earlier this year and they suspected a hairline fracture of the cannon bone too, as it turned out there was none and, as you say, the recovery from the splint bone was fairly quick.

I do remember my vet telling me that the prognosis for a  full recovery from a cannon bone hairline fracture was very good.


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## Amy_08 (28 November 2009)

Thanks Sirena. Yes my vet has said the prognosis is very good and the fracture is so small, so keeping my fingers crossed that she will heal nicely. Just a bit gutted that its the sceond fracture of the year! Oh well, roll on 2010-a better year, hopefully!


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