Farrier v Vet v Farrier v Vet.. OMG

[Dovorian]

I have been asked to give an impartial opinion on a dilemma:

16 yo chunky, v overweight ID horse came in 'slightly' lame after a loon session because he BF was taken away - farrier called as bruise suspected: Farrier confirmed and suggested a week off work: 3 weeks later, no better so vet called they advised that it was probably an abcess forming and to just monitor it as repeated poulticing would cause more harm than good. Farrier on yard again - no way was it an abcess in his opinion, it is the shoulder as recovery has taken so long - get a week's bute from the vet (no idea how but they gave the owner a week's worth without wanting to see the horse), 5 weeks on this poor chap is still lame and the vet suggests MRI at £1000 a throw now !

Having been asked what I would do I was, to be honest, thinking ask for a second opinion as I don't think vet or farrier have been acting reasonably!

Getting old makes folk think we are wise but where horses are concerned, flamin' eck!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Another veterinary opinion and a full lameness workover, surely strange to go straight from "probably an abscess" to MRI????
Have you any other symptoms, heat, tension, sore muscles, "pointing"....
Have the front shoes been removed? Is she weight bearing, ie can you lift the other foot?
Any heat or swelling?
I would try a poultice, maybe for two days, just in case.

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

Sounds like a nightmare!
Have they nerve blocked to c if there any pain and where it might b? X

 

[be positive]

A proper examination by the vet with nerve blocks to find out where the problem is, if it is not obvious, MRI may be needed but not at this stage when it could be something simple to find and deal with.
5 weeks with no diagnosis is rather a long while in my view, was he any better while on bute.

 

[mystiandsunny]

Has the horse been box rested, or going out as normal? I've had shoulder injuries and stone bruises both not heal when on turnout, yet heal fairly fast (within 2 weeks) on box rest.

 

[livinghorse]

Shoulde injuries are incredibly rare....This horse needs to have his foot nerve blocked to make sure the lameness is coming from the foot and the foot then needs to be radiographed. If he went mental in the field he could have a number of injuries to his feet from a fractured pedal bone to damaged collateral ligaments.....

 

[JellyBen]

Theres alot of this going around atm!
Ive got one that came in slightly off, vet out, and ever so slightly lame on a circle on hard ground, she suspected bruise/abscess forming, told to BR, bute and poultice for a few days, farrier out and said no abscess, vet said after a few days, no bute/poultice and keep her in, and have done, shes not lame now, but not been checked by the vet again as of yet..
The next step if shes not 100% sound was blocking, as apposed to a MRI..

Mine was checked day after she was first seen lame and had 10days in and 4days of bute/poulticing

 

[millimoo]

Could it be stress laminitis from hooning around, thats now footiness.'Maybe try mobilising and treat as laminitic and see if he gets better...
An absess will usually cause the horse to react, as will callipers, but not always.
Think it's a bit early to be wheeling out the MRI scan, just yet, but on the other hand would go down that route if nerve blocks indicate foot trouble (been there with intermittent low grade lameness)
Good luck

 

[Tonibird83]

Could it be stress laminitis from hooning around, thats now footiness.'Maybe try mobilising and treat as laminitic and see if he gets better...
An absess will usually cause the horse to react, as will callipers, but not always.
Think it's a bit early to be wheeling out the MRI scan, just yet, but on the other hand would go down that route if nerve blocks indicate foot trouble (been there with intermittent low grade lameness)
Good luck

My friend's horse had this ^^^^ Farrier discovered and Vet did not agree until more obvious lami signs were shown.

For feet, I would trust my farrier. It's like going to a doctor about a tooth problem...

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I would get a full lameness work up with xrays and nerve blocks.
X

 

[katherine1975]

I would also get a full lameness work up at the vets. Our heavy mare has arthritis in her coffin joints and pasterns, diagnosed by nerve blocks and xrays.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

my horse was like this. 2 vets said fetlock, farrier said bruise/absess. 3rd vet said suspected suspensory and is now off to newmarket

 

[AmyMay]

Having been asked what I would do I was, to be honest, thinking ask for a second opinion as I don't think vet or farrier have been acting reasonably!

I would simply get the vet up to do a full lameness workup with xrays and nerve blocks too.