Any comments or thoughts on these front hoof xrays please?

mightymammoth

mightymammoth

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 May 2011
Messages
2,952
Visit site
After a couple of unexplained bouts of crippling lameness I have had front hoof x rays done. Wondered if anyone had any comments or thoughts.

xray labels are a bit confusing on two of the photos

On the one that says DP RIGHT FORE, the lateral aspect is on the left of the image.

On the one that says DP LEFT FORE, the lateral aspect is on the right of the image.

Thank you

http://s1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg529/victoria1980x/
 
Afraid I don't know enough to comment but am sure someone who does will be along shortly.....have you also posted this is veternairy? :)
 
I'm no expert by any means, but it looks like you have some quite impressive hoof imbalances there. I'd be interested in hearing an opinion from someone more experienced in reading X-rays than me...
 
Hi yes the vet has commented on the imbalance caused we think by his right leg turning in slightly at the hoof. He also has low heels and thin soles. The xrays apparently also show He has some arthritis around the coffin joints he's had steroid injections into the joint this week. I'm unsure if this has caused the crippling lameness he has experienced but as the vet says at the minute he can only treat what he can see.
 
Hi faracat, I don't have any hoof pics at the min but I appreciate the comments. We've got a different farrier coming Monday who will have a look at the xrays and will "probably" put some bar shoes on him to support his heels so I'm glad you picked up on this. The x rays don't mean much to me any comments are helpful.
 
I am by no means an expert, however he is very imbalanced. Try to imagine a straight line going all the way down the back of his leg, the bone to the hoof and pedal bone to the frog go slightly out.
His heels are unsupported and his pedal bone is at an angle, has he had any laminitis?

I also agree there maybe slight side bone forming on the third picture.

Still, no expert, I could be completely wrong!!
 
I'm no expert but they look similar to xrays a horse I had on loan, he also had no heals and soft soles and was offen crippled.

They took his shoes off for the xrays which made it easier to see how close the bone in his hoof was too the floor.
The farrier put hind shoes on his front, set them further back and only trimmed his toes To encourage heal growth and support his heals better.

It's a long road and my lad got worse before he got better. But then a fellow h&h members wise words of "no hoof no horse" made me more determined to fix his feet the best I could.

Good luck. If u have got money to throw at his feet there are expensive treatments to help with the lameness. My farrier told me about it but I never had that kind of cash!!
 
Im sorry I dont have much expertise in that area but i was really surprised to see the shoes still on? I thought they had to be taken off for xrays?
 
Hi thanks for the replies, yes it is the right he goes lame on. He hasn't had lami or if he has certainly not in the last few years. He has never been lame before either so it may be that the bent leg is finally taking it's toll. He is sound day to day but has gone crippled lame afte light exercise on a few occasions recently. Side bones hasn't been mentioned by the vet but will see what the farrier makes of the xrays.
I also thought that shoes had to be off for xrays but they don't.
 
If you open the photo bucket page and view the 5 pics together, the right hoof lateral shot is the first and the left front is number 5.
The bulbs of the heels over hang the shoe in the first pic (1) , the right fore. It has a negative palmer angle, the pedal bone is sat flat on that hoof, this crushes the horn and sensitive structures. You also get pressure on the navicular and the navicular bursa. The arthritis is minimal and wont cause intermittent serious lameness, would be low grade and constant if it were the arthritis . The side bone is not an issue.
In pic 5 the left fore the over hang of the bulbs is less and the angle of p3 is more elevated at the back, that is better, but it still needs more length on the shoe and the toe shortening.
shouldnt be a complicated fix, just needs the damaged structures time to heel.
 
Thanks for that A guilding, do you think the problems with the right hoof would cause the intermittent crippling lameness. Since December he has gone lame after light work 3 or 4 times (hacking/ schooling) I'm a novice so nothing very demanding.
 
victoria1980x said:
Thanks for that A guilding, do you think the problems with the right hoof would cause the intermittent crippling lameness. Since December he has gone lame after light work 3 or 4 times (hacking/ schooling) I'm a novice so nothing very demanding.
Click to expand...

Yep, for sure. the longer it goes on the greater the risk of further complications.
 
This is the same problem iv got with my lad ( long flat feet, under run heels) lame on and off after light work. I'm 100% sure it's his feet ( heel pain) but in normal shoes he walks fine but are doing him no good at all but as soon as I put different shoes on ( side toe clip with wide sides and longer bars to support the heel he can't walk at all. I hope u get your lad
sorted. I'm finding it very hard. Why do people let horses feet get like this to begain with is beyond me.
 
Not yet, that's my next job but he's been sound for a week now so holding off but I know it won't last. I wish you the best off luck x
 
thatsmygirl said:
Why do people let horses feet get like this to begain with is beyond me.
Click to expand...

I think because you get used to seeing your horses feet all the time because they become 'normal'

OP frank was xrayed in november with a negative palmar angle in both (was lame LF approx 5/10) low and underun heels on both (worse on LF), no arthritis visible on xrays. We shod him differently but no great improvement so nerve blocked the coffin joint and came sound. Had one joint injection of steroid and HA in early Jan which did improve it but not totally (1-2/10 at a guess) so started light hacking work. He deteriorated again (despite feet looking significantly better) when work was increased on vet instructions so he has just had another jab to see if this will work and am reconsidering the shoes off approach.

Fingers crossed for your boy :).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top