Advice please - fetlock problems?

[MrsMagoo]

Ok posting for a friend whos mare is currently lame (not hopping) and vets are taking her in for x-rays/nerve blocks. Now the story so far is she brought the mare about 2months ago, sound, tried etc but unfortuently not vetted! Took the mare home, was sound but just a bit excited, started to ride it, lunge etc. The one day she was turned out in a new field, that night she came in lame/stiff. So friend kept her in for a few days, not much improvement so got vet No 1 out -

This vet proceeded to do flexion tests, quick trot up, blindfolded may i add?? and then said the mare was sore all over, lame in 3 legs and possible wobblers. Put her on bute for a week then 1 week box rest on nothing!! Ok so ive already said to friend that the vet was talking abso bollox and ive never heard of doing a trot up blindfolded.....have u?

So after the cause of bute, still not much improvement i persuaded friend to book an oesteopath to check her over. So oesteopath went up, gave mare a through check over, wasnt sore in back etc and only bit she found as a problem was slight heat in the 1 front fetlock or around that area..sooooo

Changed vet to get another opinion so vet No2 comes out - again checks over mare, and checks that fetlock. He found a slight bump or knock as he put it and again slight heat so suggested restricted turnout for a week to see if movement helped. She has got a bit better but still a slight lameness but only on hard surfaces. Fine in school/field etc...She is booked in now for xrays/nerve blocks.

Sorry about the long post - does anyone have any ideas or experiences:
.slight heat around 1 fetlock
. small bump/knock
. only shows lameness on hard ground

Also would you consider going through the insurance? I said yes as she wasnt aware of a problem before hand...

 

[AmyMay]

I would be on the phone to the insurance company yes. And whilst I've never seen a horse trotted up blindfolded, do remember that vet's do develop ways of doing things that help them in their diagnosis - some of which may seem quite odd to us at the time.

My vet always insists on trotting up on unlevel and stoney ground for instance - even though most of us would think this is a no, no.

I will put money on ringbone or the like.

Poor mare. Do let us know how you get on.

 

[MrsMagoo]

How does ringbone affect them? dont know much about it...

I know the mare was sound etc when she brought it as it was from my yard - its just soo odd. Can it just come on like that?

 

[Patches]

My horse has the start of ringbone and she doesn't have any heat in her fetlock.

Does the horse have a windgall on the affected leg by any chance?

What about the horse's feet? Does she had long toes, trip alot? Incorrect foot balance can reap havoc with a horse's soundness.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
How does ringbone affect them

[/ QUOTE ]
It's essentially an arthritis. When Amy was diagnosed she went from absolutely sound to crippled in the space of 24 hours. Ie. I rode her on the Saturday - buggered on the Sunday.

Now since diagnosis, treatment and a space of 2 years she has been more or less sound. If there was no foal I would probably put shoes on her and see how we went.

 

[kimrichards]

Hi ya

Its my geegee, no she doesn't have any windgalls but she does have splints on both front legs.

She is due the farrier, i wouldn't say she has specifically long toes, i havn't noticed her tripping alot, she walks around the field ok without tripping, she is still lame out the field.

 

[MrsMagoo]

Dont think so no wingalls...She is around 10, irish bred mare done some hunting etc. She has splints, thats about it!!

 

[kimrichards]

[/ QUOTE ]
It's essentially an arthritis. When Amy was diagnosed she went from absolutely sound to crippled in the space of 24 hours. Ie. I rode her on the Saturday - buggered on the Sunday.

Now since diagnosis, treatment and a space of 2 years she has been more or less sound. If there was no foal I would probably put shoes on her and see how we went.

[/ QUOTE ]

She has shows on her at the moment but will be due to have farrier out soon.

 

[AmyMay]

Where are the splints - and how long has she had them???

 

[kimrichards]

Id say around the base on canon bone, i have no idea how long she has had them, i've only owned her about 3 months.

She had them when i went to see her and tried her.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Id say around the base on canon bone, i have no idea how long she has had them, i've only owned her about 3 months.

[/ QUOTE ]
So no where near the knee?

 

[kimrichards]

No no where near the knee at all.

 

[K27]

Hi

My horse has been undergoing treatment for fetlock prob- it was swelling up after exercise however was not that lame- I was worried it was the joint or tendon so ultrasound was done together with ridden lameness examination, then the joint was blocked out and my horse was slightly better. x- rays were then taken and it was noticed that my horse has a problem with the cartilage of the joint- treatment was required. I'd throughly recommend getting the problem checked out by your vet. I was very lucky that my vet came out and discovered this for us- he did not have to be referred and within 24hrs he was receving treatment for the problem. Insurance is a must have for this type of problem!

 

[kimrichards]

Hiya

My vet has been out so now becasue there is no improvment or worsening of the problem he has said to take her to clinic for nerve block and x-rays.

I have her insured but shes only been insured for about 4-5 weeks this is my worry that they won't except it.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
I have her insured but shes only been insured for about 4-5 weeks this is my worry that they won't except it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Have you spoken to them??? There's no reason why they shouldn't accept a claim from you. But you must speak to them well in advance of the treatment.

 

[kimrichards]

im about to phone now, i only booked the treatment in this morning for next week.

Im such a worrier though!!!!

 

[K27]

I think you should be covered- you could always check the policy documents just to be sure though. Ins companies normally exclude making a claim against anything for initial 14days. If you are not covered it can start to get very expensive! Good luck and I hope that you get the problem sorted and that your horse gets better!...

 

[kimrichards]

so do i!!! im just about to call but some people have just come in y office, might pop out the back to make the call

 

[kimrichards]

Right i just phoned them, however i don't have any of my details with me so got to phone back with them for them to send me out a claims form, for me to then send it back and see if it will be excepted

 

[K27]

good luck!

 

[kimrichards]

Right last night i thought i would try and take some pictures, you can't really see much in them but you guys are really good at picking stuff up.

First one you can kind of see the bump [image]

[/image]

Next one i thought i'd take so you can see her feet.

[/image]

Same with this one aswell.

[/image]
Any opinions welcome guys.

Thanks

 

[merlinsquest]

Hopefully if she has been sound for ages then a previous vets history report will be enough for the insurance..... ie. if you can prove you havent just bought her and that she was riddled with something previously!!!!

 

[MrsMagoo]

Has only just brought her - like 3 months ago. Was brought over from Ireland so not much history known really...brought as sound etc!!