Bone scan

[Ceriann]

My mare is booked for a bone scan next week. She’s not come right post a mad field hooley that initially left her shuffly and awkward behind. Over 3 months later, various vet and physio visits shes improved a lot but still isnt as fluid on left rein and left rein canter on lunge looks odd - not lame as such but not fully pushing through (ive previously posted videos). Lameness locator and work ups havent identified anything specific, no lameness but i know shes not right. Shes also (just pre and more obviously post full field rest of circa 5 weeks) got grumpy to place saddle, saddle pad or roller. Ulcers are on my list but as no issue pre “incident” this (i think) a symptom not the root cause. So next Tuesday she gets a full exam at hospital and then if they dont identify anything specific to investigate, scan on Wednesday. Any recommendations what i ask, insist on, ask them to do, not do - do i stay for the work up?

 

[mavandkaz]

From what I remember when my mare had a bone scan, you are not allowed to be there. They are injected with a radioactive tracer, which then shows up any hotspots on the scan. Horse is then radioactive for a couple of days so has to stay in isolation, and I was not allowed to visit. My vet phoned the same day with the results and we agreed further investigations, in my case x-ray and MRI.
On another note, I have been through something that sounds similar with my current lad. Back in September he came in slightly lame. A week later no longer lame but not quite right, struggling to step through properly from behind. We put it down to hooning round the field. This was in September. It took until Christmas for him to come right. Put it down to soft tissue damage somewhere high up on his right hind. I kept him in light work and did lots of ground work/long reining and kept ridden work simple. I tried giving him time off but he just charged around the field more.
Hopefully yours will be similar and just needs time.

 

[Ceriann]

From what I remember when my mare had a bone scan, you are not allowed to be there. They are injected with a radioactive tracer, which then shows up any hotspots on the scan. Horse is then radioactive for a couple of days so has to stay in isolation, and I was not allowed to visit. My vet phoned the same day with the results and we agreed further investigations, in my case x-ray and MRI.
On another note, I have been through something that sounds similar with my current lad. Back in September he came in slightly lame. A week later no longer lame but not quite right, struggling to step through properly from behind. We put it down to hooning round the field. This was in September. It took until Christmas for him to come right. Put it down to soft tissue damage somewhere high up on his right hind. I kept him in light work and did lots of ground work/long reining and kept ridden work simple. I tried giving him time off but he just charged around the field more.
Hopefully yours will be similar and just needs time.

Thanks - physio said (on first treatment) that she was so sore it suggested a fall.I saw the whole hooley and it was pretty impressive (twisting bucks, skidding stops) - i’d lunged her the night before over poles and moving really well but post hooley i’d get no more than a shuffle. Shes much better but im not happy putting her back in work with the odd gait (shes v lightly lunged).

 

[be positive]

I would definitely stay for the work up, it will give you a clearer idea of what is, or is not, going on, you should be able to ask appropriate questions when they occur to you and if something is found you may need to give the ok for treatment to start immediately, far better than a phone call later in the day when it can be hard to take in all the info.