[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

When I say "fledgling" I mean to say that stem cell therapy is an emerging therapy, with research still ongoing and efficacy still being determined. This is especially true as far as it applies to joint therapy. As you said, many horses have received the treatment for other types of injuries such as bowed tendons.

As with most new therapies for basically "irreversible" conditions, vets and their clients get carried away and start using them unjudiciously, applying them where perhaps they don't belong or won't be as effective as in an ideal scenario, in hopes that they can "keep or horse going" or "shorten the layup time" or "make them a different horse".

Where does the Lava Man scenario fit? I suppose somewhere in the middle. As you said, his age to a fair degree makes him a less than ideal candidate. However, the fact that he received treatment under ideal conditions (ie, with primary surgical treatment first, subsequent stall rest, followed by a gradual return to training) makes him a case worth following.

I'm with you in that its very unlikely he'll return at a top class level, and I realize that is what his connections are gunning for, but from a sideline perspective I think it would be pretty signifcant event if he was able to return and be competitive at least in state-bred stakes, even if such success would ultimately be only a minor feather in his cap.

While i am as open minded as anyone in regard to new therapies and techniques, this entire scenario and the way it came about just feels like a mistake. The funny thing is that so many of the new things that come along that seem to hold up so much promise wind up as failures or simply as minor help. Radon seeds were the hot thing about 15 years ago. They were injected into troubled areas like curbs or splints and basically cured them right away. The problem was the damn things "aged" the bone and made it brittle. So when horses began snapping their legs off that new technology was suddenly not so hot anymore. While stem cell therapy is a much more advanced idea, it is still far from a miracle cure which is what he needs. I hope he doesnt breakdown because that is bad for all of us who love the game. But I remain skeptical that this situation will have the ending that will be positive.