Collateral ligament and ongoing lameness

M

mousesmum

Member
Joined
17 October 2016
Messages
22
Visit site
First time posting on here so please be gentle with me. I have a 5 year old connie mare who in late August presented around 3/10 lame on a circle, box rest followed and eventually 6 weeks later vet sent her for an MRI as xrays showed nothing. MRI showed very minor tear of lataral collateral ligament near coffin joint in hoof, lesion too small to PRP as could not fit a needle in. Vets instructions were 8 weeks box rest with controlled handwalking, at the 4 week mark we were cleared for under tack walking for up to 40 mins a day. All was going great and on tuesday 6 dec she was trotted up by vet who pronounced her 100% sound and was really pleased with how great she looked. Vet said that my daughter should start with a couple of bits of trotting on straight lines building up gradually. We were delighted as it's been a long haul. On wednesday daughter got on her and walked her for 15 minutes then asked for trot, we were devastated as horse looked lamer than every before. Got vet out on thursday who agreed that she looked pretty bad. Vet said she was baffled and said she could feel a digital pulse in both fronts, more so on right fore where ligament injury is and she is saying she has laminitis. I am shocked by this as she's not overweight, looks totally normal in her stance etc. She had xrays as recently as last wednesday 30.11.16 to check foot balance and nothing showed up to suggest lami. I am just gobsmacked that she was 100% sound on tuesday, was in her stable all day until wednesday eve when she trotted up lame, could lami be this acute? Anyway I guess my question is what would you do? Would you get a 2nd opinion from a totally different vet? I am treating her as if it is laminits now and vet has got her an appt at leahurst but not for another week. So sorry for the long post and for those of you that stuck with it, thank you.
 
Yes lammi can be that acute. However I can also understand your questioning!

In your shoes I would play safe and treat as if laminitic. If in a couple of weeks you see no improvement then I'd get a second opinion.

If it turns out to be laminitis then I'd get some metabolic testing done - I had a 7yo sports type with boarderline laminitis diagnosed with cushings.

If you are lucky you might just get an abscess burst!

Otherwise I might be thinking along the lines of soft tissue reinjury.

Either way, deep breath, box rest, Bute & ACP per vets advice, fibre diet only and see what you have in a fortnight
 
Thanks, ihatework, that seems a rational approach. My first thought was soft tissue reinjury but vet doesn't seem to be entertaining that and has gone straight for lami due to digital pulse. Really hope it's an absess though. I've got her on bute, soaking hay and just giving her a bit of baileys light chaf with lo cal balancer to put bute in. I'm reluctant to change feed at this point. How quickly would I notice an improvement in lameness if it was lami or is that a ridiculous question? thanks
 
Yes could well be, did vet check with hoof testers at all? Is leahurst appointment to X-ray/check if lami? The light chaff and balancer should be fine. Time wise it can be a while to see improvement, can depend if horse responds to post X-ray trimming if required and how much has gone on really.
 
Yes she used hoof testers and said no response anywhere. Leahurst appt is basically to see a specialist and start over with nerve blocks, lameness workup, xrays and probably MRI. My vet has pretty much admitted that she's at a loss which has left me questioning everything really. Today I put a load of pro bed on her bed to support feet etc and she rolled around on it having a wonderful time, she loved it and wasn't acting like a laminitic pony at all. Just wish the appt at Leahurst was a bit sooner as this pony lives for her food and having been on box rest already for 15 weeks I just feel really sad for her.
 
Sorry you are having these problems. Has she been remedially shod, and if so with what shoes and when was she last done?
 
She's been shod with lateral extension on the right front, with twin clips, the toe has been brought back a bit too. She needs the lateral support for ligament. Not been remedially shod for lami though, vet's just phoned me again, she seems really worried which is worrying me more. Can't wait for leahurst, hopefully they'll get to the bottom of it all and we will finally get an answer.
 
OK. I was asking in case she had been shod in graduated wedge heart bars, because they crush the heels and can cause issues. The shoeing doesn't seem likely to be the issue unless it was done recently. I hope you get some answers soon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top