A ''bute test'' to detect a problem....

JackDaniels1

JackDaniels1

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Will keep it short and sweet....

Basically TB is so very backward thinking, really unhappy to go forwards especially to canter. I had the usual checks done and treated (no problems).

We are now doing a bute test to see if any different, only started on it yesterday and today when I rode her, she was quite a lot more willing to go forwards.

She hasn't any shoes on but even when she was shod she was no different, still very backward thinking.

What step would you take next after our bute test? will the vet suggest x-rays?
 
If she is better while on bute you know it is likely to be pain related but before the vet can xray he will need to do a lameness workup and nerve blocks to find the area to xray, otherwise the whole horse would need to be done and some things may show that are not causing any problems.
 
be positive said:
If she is better while on bute you know it is likely to be pain related but before the vet can xray he will need to do a lameness workup and nerve blocks to find the area to xray, otherwise the whole horse would need to be done and some things may show that are not causing any problems.
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Correct - but of course it might not be lameness - possibly more likely to be back pain - could even be an ovary problem. You probably would have spotted if she was actually LAME! If you know a GOOD physio, might be worth starting there - you can spend a fortune on lameness check-ups and get nowhere!
 
JanetGeorge said:
Correct - but of course it might not be lameness - possibly more likely to be back pain - could even be an ovary problem. You probably would have spotted if she was actually LAME! If you know a GOOD physio, might be worth starting there - you can spend a fortune on lameness check-ups and get nowhere!
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I've had a fantastic physio look at her recently. So, if vet needs to do a lameness test, am I better having her shod? as she is footsore trotting up on hard ground.
 
If she is footsore on hard ground, not just stones, that is most likely the cause of her problems, putting shoes on may make her sound but will not cure the issue, I would have the workup done without shoes as the vet can have a good look at her feet do some nerve blocks and will need them off to xray if that is the next step but will probably suggest you shoe as part of the treatment if she seems footsore. If you want to stay bare you may need to address her diet and management in order for her to cope on hard ground or as she was just the same when shod there may be more to it and as most unsoundness is in the foot it will be the logical place to start, in my experience the footiness is likely to be the cause of her reluctance and she is probably slightly lame all round hence her reluctance to move forward.
 
be positive said:
If she is footsore on hard ground, not just stones, that is most likely the cause of her problems, putting shoes on may make her sound but will not cure the issue, I would have the workup done without shoes as the vet can have a good look at her feet do some nerve blocks and will need them off to xray if that is the next step but will probably suggest you shoe as part of the treatment if she seems footsore. If you want to stay bare you may need to address her diet and management in order for her to cope on hard ground or as she was just the same when shod there may be more to it and as most unsoundness is in the foot it will be the logical place to start, in my experience the footiness is likely to be the cause of her reluctance and she is probably slightly lame all round hence her reluctance to move forward.
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Thanks for your post - interesting. How much are we talking for nerve blocks?
 
Bute test didnt make a lick of difference to my horse who was terrible at going forwards never overly lame - diagnoses - severe high suspensory ligament damage both hinds.
 
JackDaniels1 said:
Thanks for your post - interesting. How much are we talking for nerve blocks?
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I had mine in for nerve blocked recently, they blocked all the way up the leg and then rode after each block (he was only lame under saddle) ending up with the sacroiliac where they found the problem, they did it all in a day so no cost for stabling etc and it was £600ish.
 
Why is she footsore?

Have you tried her in boots?

I question the wisdom of doing any further tests for 'backward thinking' in a footsore horse. Get the feet comfortable with a diet change and/or boots and/or shoes and/or medication for metabolic disease first.
 
I am with cptrayes on this you know you have an problem , the horse is footsore get its feet comfortable and see where you go from there.
 
Goldenstar said:
I am with cptrayes on this you know you have an problem , the horse is footsore get its feet comfortable and see where you go from there.
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Horse has been without shoes for over a year now. On a low sugar diet, ie, very small amount of speedibeet and short grazing. I've bought boots, made no difference in her wanting to go forwards. When I first had her, she was shod in front and again very reluctant to go forwards - no difference if shod or if barefoot.

The bute seems to be working apart from she doesn't want to canter on the right rein.
 
cptrayes said:
Why is she footsore?

Have you tried her in boots?

I question the wisdom of doing any further tests for 'backward thinking' in a footsore horse. Get the feet comfortable with a diet change and/or boots and/or shoes and/or medication for metabolic disease first.
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Saved me from posting that, my view too
 
JackDaniels1 said:
Horse has been without shoes for over a year now. On a low sugar diet, ie, very small amount of speedibeet and short grazing. I've bought boots, made no difference in her wanting to go forwards. When I first had her, she was shod in front and again very reluctant to go forwards - no difference if shod or if barefoot.

The bute seems to be working apart from she doesn't want to canter on the right rein.
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She was shod infront, but not behind, short grass is abound with sugar, give me longer grass any day, boots, shoes or barefoot, your horse is sensitive in her hooves... Get that sorted first, it may well not be the root cause, but it certainly won't help and it surely will hinder a correct diagnosis.
 
If she's reluctant to canter, does she ever feel slightly stuffy behind too? It was a big thing that pointed to us that Bee wasn't right... She wasn't outright lame until very suddenly before she went into season when she went from being a little not there to unable to move at all. It turned out to be ovarian problems- might be worth asking about a blood test...

(she had other things going on too, that we put down to her being a slightly mental mare initially until they escalated- trouble with quirky ones, when it all goes wrong it's very hard to discern when they're not right and when they're just feeling the first flush of spring :( )
 
JackDaniels1 said:
Horse has been without shoes for over a year now. On a low sugar diet, ie, very small amount of speedibeet and short grazing. I've bought boots, made no difference in her wanting to go forwards. When I first had her, she was shod in front and again very reluctant to go forwards - no difference if shod or if barefoot.

The bute seems to be working apart from she doesn't want to canter on the right rein.
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Ok. I have recently been told that Bute is ineffective for sacroiliac problems and this could be a symptom. You could try steroid injection into the sacroiliac to see if that affects it.

But I agree with QB, you need to sort the foot sensitivity first to know what is going on. Have you had her tested for Cushings?
 
I had a lameness workup done on a barefoot horse, but the vet requested he be shod for the tests. We shod up, found the problem area and injected it, after which he quickly transitioned back to barefoot.

If the horse is not "lame enough" to diagnose, and you have exhausted physio/chiro, think about a gait analysis test, it will show any abnormalities that are not visible to the human eye.
 
MagicMelon said:
Out of interest, why did the vet want the horse shod? I don't see why that would make a difference.
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Hi, The horse had only been barefoot for about 3 months, and was OK with his feet on an arena surface or road surface, but could be "footy" on uneven surfaces, as is with many barefoot horses. He was one of those mild "is he isn't he" lame cases (but I knew he was not right), and if we were going for the time and trouble for a full work up it seemed counterproductive to muddy the results with a possible "footy-ness". The final result was a mild lateral cartilage problem, and with the injection it all calmed down, and after rest he successfully returned to BD barefoot. I was against the shoes at the time, but they were only on a couple of weeks and using them got the clear result to nerve block tests that we needed, seemed sensible, and was effective.
 
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