Best Lameness Vet in North West?

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thebigdtaffy

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I need to find the best vet to see my horse asap for unexplained lameness, in the Cheshire / Lancs area.

It isn't that I don't trust my usual vet but after three seperate lameness' now since last July and no results despite 6 or so visits, one lameness work up, that I feel was not as thorough as it should have been, and a set of x-rays, we are still no further forward and I am so very worried about my beautiful boy. They are pushing for an MRI at my own expense (£1100!!!!!) but I feel deep down that there is a need for a second opinion before we go down that route as two different legs are involved and the scan will only do the front or back pair and it is one of each (right hind and left forefoot), so would be gutted if I spend all that money only to find it reveals nothing, as the x-rays did, and cannot afford to do all four legs.
Please, please can anyone one advise who they have found good and totally honest as regards this issue as it is breaking my heart and I'm so upset at not knowing what to do or who to take him to for the best.

Any advice / recommendations gratefully accepted.

Also anyone any experience of Scenar and Roger Meacock.
 
I would recommend finding a holistic vet. They are brilliant - they will get to the actual cause of the lameness. The one I used near Newmarket is osteopath and acupunture qualified as well as veterinary. Very very reasonable too. My Newmarket conventional lameness clinic bill was just short of £4,000. My holistic vet bill for 2 weeks of livery and treatment daily was under £400. Guess which treatment has made a difference to the horse??
 
I can highly recommend Peter Scholefield of Hird & Partners in Halifax. I know its not in your locality but he is very very good. People travel far and wide to go to him. My mare has been due to lameness issues and she ended up having an MRI. He was spot on with his diagnosis and rehab recommendations. They have excellent facilities and stabling, cant recommend them enough..
 
I've heard very good reports of Peter Scholfield at Hird's, Halifax too, although I've never used them. He would be my first thought too.

Sarah
 
I've used Peter Scholefield at Hird & Partners too,as have many friends and colleagues (for family pets to competition horses and everything in between). He is brilliant. Never been wrong-he has a gifted eye for a horse's gait-instantly spots what others have missed and more.Explains everything to you,answers all your questions& a lovely,approachable bloke too. Ask for him only.
 
Another one for Hird and Partners, if the horse is ridden they will watch you ride in their arena and are very easy to talk to and thorough in the workups.
 
I'd travel down to newmarket myself-go for the people who see a high turnover of sportshorses with lameness daily..
 
Izzwizz said:
I can highly recommend Peter Scholefield of Hird & Partners in Halifax. I know its not in your locality but he is very very good. .
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He's just dealt with my horse's keratoma, seemed a great vet. OP I've taken two to Sue Dyson and been very impressed. Both use MRI to help diagnose though. I wouldn't recommend Leahurst for lameness.
 
I am in staffs so not that far from you and i have gone to Svend Kold - he is nr gloucester - it takes me 2 hrs on motorway. He is one of the best orthopedic vets there is
 
Should add,Hird's have operating theatre&all modern digital equipment for diagnostics,including MRI scanner. Peter positively encourages you to view all scans&results with him,there&then,going through them&explaining them. Not all vets have the patience or inclination to do this!
 
Venevidivici said:
I've used Peter Scholefield at Hird & Partners too,as have many friends and colleagues (for family pets to competition horses and everything in between). He is brilliant. Never been wrong-he has a gifted eye for a horse's gait-instantly spots what others have missed and more.Explains everything to you,answers all your questions& a lovely,approachable bloke too. Ask for him only.
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Exactly this ^^!! His manner with clients is top quality and he doesn't blind you with science.
 
My horse has had 2 scenar treatments for arthritis in his off hind hock. It really is quite amazing. The swelling went down after first treatment, although this did come up again after a few days. He had second treatment a week later.

When I turned him out after treatment ( he had been ridden and out all day(0) he trotted down to the feild ( he normally saunters along), then when I took his head collar off he galloped down to the bottom if the field, normally he just walks off! I was so surprised its obviously made him feel much better!

He has now gone in for 3 treatments one every other day, Annie thinks this will be enough to keep it at by for a while.

Whilst he is not lame, he just doesn't feel quite right and is not using his back end as effectively as he normally does in the school.

So will let you know how he gets on.
 
Hi, thanks for your help, where did you take your horse for the Scenar treatments, if you don't mind my asking please? I was under the impression that I needed to take my horse down to Swindon to Roger Meacock and that he would have to stay there for at least four weeks at £400 per week and I didn't want to send my horse that far away from home on his own without being there to oversee everything. Thankyou and I hope your horse recovers quickly.
Kindest Regards,
Paula
 
Professor Clegg at leahurst. After my vets could not in point the problem a referral to leahurst was made and we've never looked back after a long rehab finally discharged and we haveva realistic outcome totally living up to expectations. He was in touch with everything we said and what we did with our boy and he built a rehab programme around our boys limits. I have to say MRI IS worth every penny it answered all our questions which could not be see on X-ray. NFU now pay for 100% MRI where as before was only 50%. Professor clegg
 
Another for Peter Schofield at Hird & Partners.
A lot of Dressage people use him. He can spot lameness no matter how slight, and will do a full work up.
You will get a quick, straight and honest diagnosis.
We used him for an imported 5yr old, who presented low grade lameness over a few weeks. Out regular vet diagnosed thrush, but it continued, so to stop messing about with box rest & rest, went straight to Peter.
Pinpointed in the hoof, Xrays clear (as they were at vetting - not by Peter), so MRI which showed old injury and soft tissue damage.
We saved weeks, if not months of trying this and that.
He's well respected, and wouldnt hesitate to recommend his to anyone.
 
Blue ended up being referred to Leahurst earlier this year. He had both Peter Millner and Ellen Slinger baffled as to the cause of his lameness. They ran up a £4k vet bill with nerve blocks, gamma scans, x rays and ultrasound, then sent him home and said they thought it was ligament damage, but they weren't sure. They just send him home on box rest, with introduction to in hand walking after a month. Still on our in hand walking, with small turnout paddock being introduced.

They were good at keeping me updated and they really looked after Blue very well, but we didn't get any answers from them that my vet couldn't have given.
 
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