Thoroughbred filly has new lease on life thanks to rescuers and UF large animal surgeons

A Thoroughbred filly named Squirt born “knock-kneed” — with deformed joints — faced euthanasia at the young age of 6 weeks but now runs and plays at her home farm like the healthy pet she is, thanks to the horse lovers who rescued her and to surgeons at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center.

After a series of surgeries performed between May and August at UF, Squirt’s deformities appear to have been completely addressed, says her proud owner, Giovanna King, of Live Oak.

“She is continuing to gain weight and grow muscle,” King said. “When I look at her now and compare pictures of her then and now, she just looks like an entirely different horse.”

King said she and her husband, Mike, unexpectedly gained possession of the filly in mid-May, when a friend called after visiting a breeding farm in Ocala.

“She said, ‘I’m going to be bringing you a baby,’” King recalled. “I said, ‘No way, I don’t want another horse.’” The Kings own Beaver Creek Farm and own several horses they have rescued over the years as well as other horses they breed and sell.

But King’s friend told her, “Don’t worry, you’ll want this one.”

King’s friend told her that the filly’s mother had been sold by the farm owner, but the buyers did not want the foal because of her limb deformities.

“She actually overheard the farm hands talking about taking this filly back behind the barn to shoot her,” King said.

After she heard the full story and saw the filly, King’s attitude changed.

“This filly’s knees were totally together and she was unable to run because she’d trip and fall,” King said.

A regular client of UF’s VMC, King knew right away that the filly would require specialized treatment.

As it turned out, several surgeries were required to fully address the problems with Squirt’s legs. Dr. Troy Trumble served as the attending clinician during all of the procedures, supervising residents Dr. Nicholas Ernst, Dr. Aric Adams and Dr. Sarah Matyjaszek and walking them through each operation.

“The technical diagnosis was that Squirt had bilateral carpal valgus, with the right leg worse than the left, and bilateral tarsal valgus, with the left leg worse than the right,” Trumble explained. “These are both very common conformational issues in foals that are thought to be due to prematurity/immaturity, abnormal positioning in utero, in utero chemical insults, hormonal or nutritional imbalances.”

The carpus is called the “knee” in lay language, hence the term “knock-kneed.”

Angular limb deformities are defined based on looking at the front legs from directly in front of the foal, or the hind legs from directly behind the foal.

Squirt’s deformity was due to abnormalities surrounding her growth plate, Trumble said, and was treated surgically in two procedures, one on each leg. In a procedure known as transphyseal bridging, a screw was placed across the growth plate at the right knee to slow bone growth on that side. In the left hock, a procedure known as hemicircumferential periosteal transection (commonly known as periosteal stripping) was performed to enhance bone growth. The net effect would ideally be for the load on both legs to “even out,” facilitating the straightening of both legs.

The right knee improved over a period of several weeks, but the left hock did not, Trumble said.

“Therefore at the time of screw removal for the right carpus (knee), we performed a transphyseal bridging at the left tarsus (hock),” Trumble said. “The deviation at that site then improved over the next several weeks and one final surgery was needed to remove the screw.”

The transformation in Squirt from the first visit to the last screw removal was very impressive, not just in how the legs corrected, but also in Squirt’s entire appearance and demeanor, the surgeon added.

“I can see what Giovanna sees in this filly, as she is a very curious and amiable horse,” Trumble said. “Each time I tried to examine her legs in the stall, she would just walk right up to me and she snuggles right up next to you. You can’t help but like her. I hope that Squirt and Giovanna have many long years together.”

King said Squirt was “growing like a weed” and picking up weight.

“She’s with me and she’s not going anywhere,” King said. “All of us here, we’re so attached to her. She follows us around like a puppy.”