Bilateral forelimb lameness

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Can anyone give me a ray of hope as I wait for my lads MRI scan next Thursday afternoon?

He has presented with low level lameness in both front legs. I thought he felt a bit footy and isn't keen walking over stony ground (he is shod). He is more pronounced lame on the lunge and less so in a straight trot up. He's about 2 or 3 tenths lame.

Vet has attempted to nerve block but he is very needle shy and vet shy so we could only do very limited checks. The first nerve block to the heel of one foot showed no difference but nerve blocks to the fetlock then made the lameness to the other leg more pronounced and no lameness to the one that was nerve blocked.

Xrays of both feet are very clean showing good angles and no changes to any bone.

There is no heat and no raised digital pulses.

I'm torturing myself by looking at things such as collateral ligament damage on google. He is only 8 and we had been doing so well recently and I'm beside myself with worry that this is a serious problem with poor prognosis.
 
Similar tale to my mares lameness, she was only slightly lame but just not right. The MRI scan showed she had a tear to her DDFT within the hoof. Others will say if it is this to go barefoot, my mare was recommended Egg bar shoes after wedges, box rest, hand walking then ridden work. She is sound, has lived out over the last year and looks great. The MRI was the best way to get to the bottom of her lameness. Unfortunately she had put stress on the other front leg, caused damage to her SDFT in that leg so ended up having a year off.

However, as previously said, she is sound now, hacks out and touch wood, no signs of any further problems. She is now 18 and was 14 when all that happened.
 
I know it's hard, but try not to worry too much!

If it is collateral ligament damage, consider Rockley Farm - they have a very high success rate for return to full work, so not a poor prognosis at all, and many insurance companies will pay towards rehab costs if you can get your vet on side.

There's nothing you can do until you have a diagnosis, so poor a glass of vino, scoff some chocolate and try to look on the bright side - clean x-rays is a good start :).
 
Thank you, sadly I have already scoffed all the chocolate in the house and put on several pounds through stress eating this week. Seriously need to get back on a diet.

I'm panicking as I already have one expensive field ornament and cannot afford another, plus he is such a stress head and won't eat if he goes on box rest, unlike his mother obviously!

Would Rockley Farm give you relevant information to do the rehab yourself as I would not want to be sending him away as he has a fear of strangers and would get himself in a right state.
 
Hi, try not to worry too much..i know its hard

My story is similar to yours, mare was lame on fronts and was diagnosed with lateral collateral ligament damage, 6 months box rest, shock wave therapy and a nearly a year field rest..still not sound, vets gave up hope, i didnt!! My girls is now at Rockley farm, due to cone home at the end of the month and has progressed far more in 10 weeks than she ever did with thw box/field rest.
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Hi just to throw a quick tangent in. My horse started becoming very short in his front end gait, wasn't moving well gradually deteriorating, look stiff and unlevel, I was panicking about arthritis etc etc. Did all the usual checks but had a feeling it was his feet. Decided to take shoes off and feet thoroughly unbalanced with the start of under -run heels and cut so he was leaning inwards which meant he could not physically push from behind from the hock and therefore couldn't move his front legs properly.

Have a good look at how he is being shod and his heels and frog, this happened over a quite short space of time in the main over my horse's last 2 or 3 shoeings although I suspect the balance was out for much longer. He has had 4 weeks of no shoes to allow him to start to recover with a qualified PODIATRIST trimming (not a farrier or barefooter) he is starting to turn back into my horse and regain the muscle he lost on his chest, back and back end.

I would never have imagined bad shoeing could have caused so much of a change in his way of going and comfort levels but it did. I don't know if he will cope being barefoot long term but I do know if he needs shoeing again it will be with a different farrier. Just a thought as I know most people love their farrier but quite often they aren't shoeing as well as they could be and is worth a look.

I hope your horse gets a quick & easy solution
 
Thanks for the thoughts. Feet are actually very good and shoed by a highly qualified farrier who rapidly improved my thoroughbreds feet beyond all recognition. Xrays also show very good angles throughout so dont believe it is bad foot balance as much as I'd like to be proven wrong.
 
Similar thing going on with mine at the moment. Going in for more nerve blocks and poss MRI scan on wed. He looks sound but when we blocked his left fore foot couple of weeks ago for a separate problem he went lame on his right fore so now separate problem has resolved we have to investigate what is underlying. His xrays showed no bony changes but slightly broken back axis worse in left fore. Really hoping it's just a foot balance thing but cant help but think the worst. Fingers crossed for yours - let us know.
 
Nic at rockley is very helpful, and there's a wealth of information available here about DIY barefoot rehab. If it does turn out to be foot related do give Nic a call. It's worth noting as well that the herd at rockley always seems very chilled and happy, it's the one place I would ever consider sending my super stressy separation anxiety horse (I live in fear of the day I ever have to leave him at the vets, I'm sure he'd have to be sedated the whole time :(). You know your horse best, though, and I'm sure it's not for everyone.

Good luck, fingers crossed its something easily resolved.
 
Oh no Star. Sorry to hear that. After your bad luck last year you are due some luck and a better season this year. Fingers crossed for both of us. I have a feeling this week is going to go by very slowly until the appointments.
 
I have one that is bi laterally lame behind and one that is bilaterally lame in front - so I have one working horse between them :( I have an MRI on Tuesday as well - good luck for everyone this week
 
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