also in CR Diagnosing a hock spavin without xrays?

[charlie76]

We have a horse in the yard that was vetted by vet X. Owner has had the horse for a few months, horse went lame behind. Owner got vet Y out and vet Y said to rest him for 3 weeks. Horse was then sound until owner rode in in w,t,c straight out of box rest for an hour, horse was then slightly lame again ( no suprise). Owner then decides vet Y doesn't know what they are talking about and even after being advised to get horse x rayed she decides to go back to vet X(who vetted the horse) and get him to look at it. Vet Y turns up, sees it trot 3 circles on the lunge and diagnoses hock spavin and to give the horse 3 months off!
There is no swelling or anything other than a flat splint that appeared when the horse went lame just below the hock( the more obvious sign of the MILD lameness).
Is this at all possible and what do you think??

 

[measles]

Vet can think spavin is highly likely based on case history and the way the horse moves but would need an xray to diagnose it properly.

 

[charlie76]

Vet doesn't know case history, he has not seen it since the day it was vetted. Horse is about 1/10 lame.

 

[cptrayes]

You cannot diagnose early spavin with an xray. The spavin is present before anything will show on an xray. The xray will only confirm if fusion is taking place and how, so the spavin has to be advanced by then. Until then, spavin is diagnosable only with flexions and nerve blocks.