7 weeks of lameness

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Daffers

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Ok, where do i start, Basically my mare spooked at a tractor 7 weeks ago today, really stuck her head up and out and shot sideways (we tend to have bit of a habit of spooking at tractors), but this was worse occasion. Any how my friend was leading my mare out on the weds and thought she was being a stubborn mule- no enthusiam, half asleep!! I took her out on the thurs and hmmmm yep she was lame, (Off hind) the fri she was lame in walk, thought ok rest for week, no improvement, tried bute for a few days, and still the same, i must say during this whole series of events no heat, swelling has been found in the leg at all. Yeah ok things looking really wrong, not the sort of mare to carry on like this without being pathetic and full love, she was her usual grumpy nag!! Vet came out and removed shoe, found broken off nail in hoof wall (Quick?) prob from spooking at tractor., was told to poultice and clean with hydrogen peroxide for 4 days, done that, still not much improved, was thinking she does get sore footed without shoe on, our farrier comes from afar and was in the area on that fri, but by monday she was just as bad (pulling my hair out now). Shoe came off 4 days later and farrier re visited, he thought it looked as if he may have done a nail too tight, had a good look about the hoof no other infection found so shoe went back on. Decided last fri to get back checked, done today, def no probs there. Been advised to gently walk out for next 2 weeks and if no improvement to turn away for 6 months or so.
Has anybody got any other ideas or had similar situation that they could give me pointers on, i know that rest is best, but basically she is looking really well and happy in herself, just cant put weight in that leg.

Sorry for long post and if non makes sense but at wits end with not knowing.
 
Bit more info please - how old is she? How big? Any heat anywhere? Did vet do any nerve blocks? If it is definitely hoof, don't see how turning her away for a long period will help. Hmmm....
 
She is a 17.1hh cleveland bay x tb, 16 yrs old. As mentioned there has been no heat anywhere in the leg,apart from small area on outside of hoof wall near to where broken nail was found.
The vet asked me to trot her up, removed her shoe, found the infected area, dug a hole. No medication was given. He did a flection test and said she was a bit 'hocky'.
I had her backed checked as way of process of elimination. Just wondering if idea to turn her away is just to give her time off, she is not any major competing horse, just hacks, hunts and local shows. So im happy to turn her away if it'll help but as you say if in hoof how will this help!!
 
Am thinking she is quite a big girl then? Is she weight bearing at all on the leg or permanently resting that one?

I would probably suggest the vet does some nerve blocks to see if the lameness is in the hoof, or if the hock is part of the problem. Maybe the initial hoof abscess caused her to rest the leg more and triggered some hock problems which were there anyway, but are now more noticeable.

If it's just the hoof, then no, can't see point of turning away. If it's osteo-arthritis further up, then maybe turning away for a bit will give it a chance to loosen up. My old mare had dodgy hocks and I was advised it was better for her to be out and moving than in, but light exercise was still ok.

Doesn't sound like your vet is very pro-active in this case - maybe chase him/her up a bit? Hoof abscesses can take weeks to thoroughly work their way out, especially if she had another nail hammered in close by the affected area, but it would be nice to know how much of the lameness is in the hoof and how much in the hock!
 
Just been out haying my horses and walking round my field in the dark and then it struck me! Am now thinking maybe the spook didn't do her hock any favours either?

Quite normal for teenage horses to start to have some arthritic changes in their hocks anyway, especially the bigger ones, so maybe the spook twisted it and it will take a while to settle back down. Meanwhile the hoof is giving her problems too so difficult for the vet to work out which is the main cause of the lameness.

Just a thought, as agree that 7 weeks is quite a long time for it to be a nail induced abscess...
 
I know I'm becoming paranoid, but I would definately go with the nerve blocks. My girl's suspeonsory ligaments are shot, and given their locaiton I now think of the hidden areas of vulnerability when something is not fully clear.

Hope that makes sense! Good luck.
 
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