Calling on your experiences of lameness?

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Moggy in Manolos

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I would really appreciate any ones help or experience on this.

My horse has been lame on and off the last couple of months, had vet and farrier out previously looking into this, she recovers after box rest it seems, then goes lame again.

Farrier came out today as i thought she was uncomfortable on hard, stony ground in particular, as she has been over the years i have had her. He was due to put pads on but he could not find sensitivity in the foot.

So horse has shoes off, farrier said try poulticing again for a few days, then call the vet if still a problem.
He is an excellent farrier and he just doesnt think it is the foot any more.
So the long and short of it is some nerve blocks may be needed by the vets

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Further to this, horse is no longer insured, thats a long story and not worth mentioning now.
So, please could you tell me about your nerve blocking experiences?
Also if you dont mind, how much the vets bill was? (pm me if better)
I would really appreciate your experiences on the matter,i am rather stressed out and worried now as this lameness just keeps coming back, and the farrier, who is brilliant is stumped.

She is not reacting to pressure testing on the feet, walks fine on soft ground, walks fine on hard ground in a straight line at the moment (she has sometimes found rough ground uncomfortable)
It is when she is turned she winces on the leg/foot.

If this sounds like any experience you have had i would really appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks everyone, sorry its so long, i am really worried about this.
 
Not wanting to sound negative, but I have seen a horse with similar symptoms to yours. Would go sound after box rest, lame on hard ground and also on a circle. He has ringbone. The lameness over rough ground would also indicate some kind of joint problem. Horses with soft tissue injuries are usually lame on soft ground. The vet will certainly be able to find out the area of pain from nerve blocks but you might need x-rays to confirm the diagnosis. It may well be something like sidebones forming as well, although they would usually respond to hoof testers. Hope it all turns out ok for you.
 
I'll tell you what Sol's cost
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She has a 6days stay up in Langford

Nerve Blocks cost £70 per block
She has xrays , scintigraphy and a 6 days stay and its cost just over £2.5k
 
Thanks Ishy
What has happened with Sols diagnosis? I am sorry i cannot remember a post about your trials and tribulations, suppose i have never read as many lameness posts until now
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I just chocked on my beer at the cost, i knew it was going to be pricey but thats taken me back a bit
Thanks though
 
To be honest, nerve block can be done on site, although if you want a certain diagnosis, then you can send her to the hospital for 1 day, so you don't need to pay out for livery. Until you get a definite prognosis, don't worry too much, it may be something very simple.
 
I hope so, but it's one of those things, you just start to wonder if it is something more sinister than just a simple bout of lameness that goes away, being as we seem to be coming round in circles
Thanks
 
Oh no not at all
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I'm just suprised you've managed to dodge my many self pitying posts !
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When I find the bill I will give you the exact breakdown of things .

I hope you find out whats wrong with your horse
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Thanks Ishy, i have just read some of your posts, i really am so sorry for your situation, letting go of our beloved animals is so hard.
I lost my 18year old cat almost 2weeks ago, i miss him terribly but i am glad i got him to the vets before he suffered anymore, he went down so quickly and was starting to suffer in a matter of hours.
You are doing the right thing though, again i am sorry for the rough time you are having
 
One of our liveries had a horse with similar symptoms, had nerve block/xrays not sure how much it cost in the end.

Diagnosis was Navicular symdrome, thankfully it wasn't too bad and it is now under control through a very strict diet, 24hr turnout to keep her moving and special shoeing.

Hope it works out ok for you.
 
I would nerve block and then xray- you can find out loads and the xrays help with the farrier getting correct foot balance. Its much cheaper if you can take the horse to the clinic and do tell them you are not insured. Our last set of 4 xrays and a nerve block was circa £220. Just xrays about £180 ish.

Unfortunately we have way too much experience in this
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We had one recently with your symptoms and he had a sheared heel. Bar shoes solved that problem. (xrays cost £180ish, bar shoes £90 a pair)
My older cob had ringbone diagnosed,treated with natural balance shoes, Adequan injections and glucosamine supplements.(bill for diagnosis which inc full lameness workup, xrays, supply of Adequan[£250] and a big tub of Newmarket supplement came to around £700)
Another has coffin joint issues so Adequan then cartrophen injections, loads of xrays, corrective shoeing,9 months off work and about to commence IRAP. (thanks to petplan our total bill so far has been £500)
 
My mare was on and off lame for a couple of months couldnt fine anything no heat swelling no tenderness in the foot.
Did xrays and nerve block and eventually found that she had damaged her seamoid ligaments causing her to weight bare funny inturn causing high ringbone and inflamation in the coffin joint. She had 12 weeks box rest cartrofen injection corrective shoeing and finally after nearly six months is sound and back in full work both vet and farrier say she has a long future despite every thing she has wrong. what I am trying to say is dont despair just yet. The total bill came to just over £1000 that was two sets of xrays nerve blocks and all the other treatment. keep your chin up
 
my mare was like yours with on and off lameness, the farrier couldnt work it out. i ended up taking her for xrays which is when they found ringbone in her coffin joints on both front feet.
the total cost of her vets bill was £4750 this included 3 courses of adequan, synequin supplement, painkillers and (i think) 3 sets of xrays. she didnt have nerve blocks as it was more dangerous than it was worth - she hates needles and rears so my vet didnt fancy injecting anywhere from knee below.
she was retired shortly after diagnosis and was for about 4 years but is now out of retirement
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and is sound to ride
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and has been for the past 2 years

hope you find out whats wrong but keep your chin up in the mean time
 
Thankyou to you all for sharing your experiences with me, i really appreciate it.
And thanks for your supporting words too, it is just awful and i have a new found empathy with unknown lameness as it were, i mean she has had laminitis but we knew what that was, plus she recovered beautifully from that.
Thankyou again to you all
 
Hi my horse has similiar to lirago soft tissue damage in coffin joint and this does sound really similiar.Our treatment hasnt worked but there is some improvement.Im going back to the begining with rest and walking but only twice a week vet said 5/6 times but it was too much.He hasnt recovered and have just agreed on lou.My bill was around £2000 but he had shock wave for tendon tear at same time.Hope things improve for you.
 
Thanks cellie, well i have tried poulticing again just before calling the vet, it is so intermittent its frustrating but hopefully we ill soon get to the bottom of it. Am calling the vet again tomorrow, so the further investigations will commence.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, hope your horse gets better soon
 
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