bi lateral lameness - advice/experiences

[nic83]

Please bear with me this might be long. I am in need of help/experiences/advice.

Had horse just over a year, no previous history of lameness, passed 5 * vetting.

Approx 5 weeks ago came in from field with ripped rug (him and field buddy ‘play’ a lot and very rough – have done for a long time, so we split them up but then when in new field with more grass we tried them back together). Next day it was noticed he was lame in walk. Box rested for a week and he came sound, walked in hand a few days and then got back on for a short hack. Next day – fine in field but lame on concrete.

Box rested again for 10 days, no work for 2 weeks. Started in hand work, fine, 20 min hack in walk – seemed fine throughout and when we got back to yard. Next day – fine in field lame at walk when took him out to ride again.

So, trip to vets. Initially walked fine, (pain masked by adrenaline?!) but did trot up unlevel and then lame on lunge. Nerve blocked heel on left and he improved, then became slight unlevel on the right fore, but only slight. x rayed feet – showing broken back on hoof pastern axis (sorry not best with terminology). Vet recommends shorten the toe and jack up the heel, box rest for a few weeks then reassess and re x ray after 2 shoeings.

At the time I felt vet was suggesting that my farrier could have been doing more to manage this, and has made me question my farrier. However have been reassured (spoke with another vet recommended farrier) that my farrier is more than able to do the required remedial shoeing.

Spoke to my farrier, he is happy to liaise with vets but he says horse has had this issue for a while, and his feet aren’t great (don’t grow) so will be hard to take the toe back. Am waiting for vet to speak to farrier and then he will come out to shoe this week.

So, we have to try this and see what happens, if he comes sound vets have suggested re introduce work at 4 weeks, but wait and see. If he doesn’t further investigation.

So... Has anyone experienced this, my farrier painted a bleak picture ‘he might have navicular’ – well he might, but x ray showed no sign, although I appreciate MRI gives a better picture but don’t want to spend my entire vets limit just yet. I know it will be a long road, but I want to do the best for my boy to get him right.

Does anyone have any experience of this. Also does his pattern of lameness reflect the diagnosis? I have an issue the he looked sound to me and YO when in hand but then goes lame again once ridden.

I have gone on, I’m sorry, He is my first horse and my world, I am so upset that he is going through this, and I am questioning if I could have done more to help him.

 

[brucea]

I understand how you feel about your horse - it is always the same when they fall ill. I love my big lad to bits, and I'm always upset when he is ill.

Anyway - do yourself a favour and look here http://www.rockleyfarm.co.uk/RockleyFarm/Home.html

This is my friend Nic Barker's site and she has been doing some amazing work rehabbing horses with caudal hoof issues. I would read all her site, and maybe call her before you go down the route of wedges etc.

 

[Booboos]

Sorry to hear about your horse. Unfortunately it sounds like you need to wait to see the effect of the remedial work which is stressful but there aren't many ways round waiting for the hoof to grow.

Regarding navicular all I know is that sometimes you can have x-ray evidence with no clinical signs and others you can have clinical signs with no x-ray evidence so you may need an MRI to really see what is happening. I would go on the vet's advice though on whether it's worth doing this now or waiting a bit for the corrective shoeing to show some benefits.

 

[Lainey123]

Sorry to hear about your horse. Unfortunately it sounds like you need to wait to see the effect of the remedial work which is stressful but there aren't many ways round waiting for the hoof to grow.

Regarding navicular all I know is that sometimes you can have x-ray evidence with no clinical signs and others you can have clinical signs with no x-ray evidence so you may need an MRI to really see what is happening. I would go on the vet's advice though on whether it's worth doing this now or waiting a bit for the corrective shoeing to show some benefits.

I had the same clinical signs and went down the veterinary route, and had a lame horse for 2 years, and i quote " don't worry i have loads of hunters in wedges and on bute, keep hunting, have fun!!!!" from a very respected senior vet? anyway, to cut a long story short i had an MRI as i wasn't happy, and he had collateral ligament injury which presents the same as navicular. So years of trying to sort it with shoeing and whatever latest treatment there was to no avail, so with a VERY poor prognosis i decided to send him to Rockley farm, and yes, he is now sound and happy and hunting, and competing, he's barefoot and landing his hoof like he should. So all happy all round. Good luck with what you decide.

 

[nic83]

Thank you all for your comments.

I think as you say I have to be patient and give it a bit of time, but as you say if no improvement then seek alternative investigation/treatment, but you have to start somewhere. But I will not work him if he had to be buted, only if he comes sound.

Thank you for the link - I will be interested to have a look as barefoot interests me, and may be worth bearing in mind of remedial shoeing doesn't help.