Bone Scan / Syntigraphy...advice needed

[Halfpass]

I have just got off the phone to my vets after giving him an update on Aleeta.
She is still not sound even after having her remedial shoes on for about 3 weeks. Although my vet hadn't expected her to come sound completley in that time he excpected a change and as far as I can see there isn't one

He has spoken at length to my physio who is also concerned that there is comething going on with Alee higher up in her back end (possibly sacro illiac)
The vet is going to come out in a week and a half to see Alee as he won't have seen her for 5 weeks so if probably to best one to spot any differences. If there is no change he is going to refer her for bone scans / syntigraphy as they have xrayed / nerve blocked nearly every bone / joint in her back legs and so far have only come up with this pedal bone problem.
I'm not so much upset about not being able to ride her - afterall she is only 4 so a few more months not working really won't hurt.
Its more upestting that I don't know her prognosis at the moment. If I did at least I could plan her future. I may be jumping the gun here but if she remains lame what is the likely hood of me selling her as a broodmare?
Would I be better off breeding from her myself so that she is proven?
If its going to take time to get her sound would putting her in foal next year be a good option for while she is on a break? Would a rising 6 /7 year old be easier / more difficult to bring on than a 4/5 year old?
Sorry for all the question but I really feel that I need to know what I am going to do with her if the prognosis isn't good. If it isn't worth breeding from her then my only option would be to PTS as she really isn't a field ornament.
Any experiences / advice with any of the above would be much appreciated.

 

[_jetset_]

I am so sorry you are feeling down about it, but I wouldn't make any plans until you have had the bone scan done. I think the waiting is one of the hardest things imaginable, so is there no way you could bring the vet's visit forwards rather than waiting a further fortnight?

Have they nerve blocked any of the ligaments/tendons or scanned them? Have they scanned the foot for ligament damage, perhaps relating to the pedal bone issues?

With regards to breeding, until you know what is causing the lameness I would not start thinking about this. If the issue is hereditary, then I do not think anyone would buy her as a broodmare for fear of having similar problems with their own offspring. Whether you breed from her yourself is a decision only you can make... if it is hereditary it is your choice whether you wish to risk having a foal with the same conformational (if it is that) issues.

I am keeping everything crossed that this is something that will be resolved once it is discovered, and you can crack on with backing Aleeta and riding her like you have always dreamed of doing!

 

[_jetset_]

Oh, and while I am thinking... is your vet a lameness expert? The only reason I ask is that it might be worth getting her referred to an expert. Some vets have specialised in hind limb lameness for years, like the one I took Grace to, and he spotted something straight away that my own vets missed (who are an excellent equine only practise i may add).

It is just another thing to consider... I am not too hot on my UK geography (I know, disgraceful) but I would really looking into the experts in your area. Sue Dyson is excellent and I am sure many people on here can highly recommend her for lameness issues.

 

[lucym]

my first horse had bone scans after a massive loss of performance and reluctance to jump, she was not noticably lame untill lunged on concrete, nerve blocks in all leg joints made no difference, so they injected into her sacroilliac area and she was immediately sound and back to her happy self, suggesting sacro problems. she was therefore bone scanned and she had degenerative arthiritis in her sacroilliac, she was only 11.
i personally would get your girl scanned, there is nothing worse than not knowing what is going on. My mare was retired, i know people have succesfully bought horses back into work with sacro problems but it wasnt possible in my situtaion, and belive me we tried.
both my local equine vets and the vets at the hospital she went to said she could be bred from. she hasnt had a foal, but they always said it was a possibilty. i really hope your story ends happily, but i think knowing is much better than not knowing, and atleast if the scan is negative, you can rule out that area
good luck

 

[tikino]

hi their if she was my horse i would be pushing to have the syntigraphy done my boy has had it. what they do is the injested radioactive stuff into her then they give her the scan. the radioactive stuff highlights any problems (HOTSPOTS) at least then if would hopefully give you a better idea of her prognosis and would be able to plan her future.

as with bring her back into work as a6/7 yrold after giving her a foal i would not see any problem with this. i bought a horse inthe beginning of may straight of a hill untouched as a 7 year old broke her in in 4 weeks and done my first xcountry on her begining of july she has been fab to work with and learned so quickly and i think it is all because she is a bit more mature

this is her the day i got her after i pulled her mane sorry don't do hair sorry picture overload lol

and at the xcountry

hope this helps

 

[AandK]

so sorry to hear Alee is not improving after having her new shoes fitted..
it is so hard to focus when you don't know what the problem is and it is so easy to think the worst and go through every scenario in your head, over and over..

my advice would be get her scanned ASAP, if that gives you a clear diagnosis then you can move on and make descisions based on what (if anything) is found..
when Andy was diagnosed with this problem (pedal rotation) he had to have a lot of physio and a 'deep' session under sedation too as it had really buggered up his back.. perhaps Alee just needs more physio done.?
i would def get her booked in as soon as you can and try to get to the bottom of it.. fingers crossed for you..

 

[Halfpass]

Hi _JetSet_
Thanks for your reply. So far they have nerve blocked stifle, hock fetlock and foot. She came much sounder with the foot blocks which is why they were going down the road of the pedal bone rotation and going for remedial farriery.
This was done 4 weeks ago and she initially looked much better but has since stopped improving. My vet just doesn't seem 100% sure that this is the only problem.
They haven't nerve blocked ligaments etc but I will ask about this when he comes next (I have along list waiting for him!!!!
I had pretty much realised that the breeding thing would be a no!! Its just such a shame as she is so well bred with such a lovely temprament.
I'm just so confused about everything. She was to be my horse of a lifetime and the more I don't ride the more I don't seem to want to

I guess its just so easy to sit back and watch from the sidelines.
She is also never going to be a field ornament nor would she want to be so if I can't get her sound I gues I need to make some big decisions not only about her future but if I want to carry on with horses full stop!!

 

[Halfpass]

Unfortunatly the vet can't come any sooner than the beginning of september as he is on hoilday. Basically the plan is that if he can see a marked difference then we will carry on with the remedial shoes, if not then he plans to send her for scanning. I am hoping that he will see some difference as he hasn't seen her for 5 weeks and with me keep looking at her I really find it har to tell. She is having physio pnce a week at the moment plus I am icing her back and stretching everyday. I really don't want to be negative and I want to be optimistic but neither the vet / the physio can give me anything to be optimistic about at the moment and all I can keep thinking is the worst and that I will never get to ride her and that she will never be able to be my horse of a lifetime.