Fetlock MRI

[mega spoilt ponies]

Morning all

My horse has had severe gastric ulcers for a year now (unresponsive to treatment). As a result of this, throughout the year he has undergone numerous diagnostic procedures/work ups etc to try and find a source of pain somewhere which is preventing the ulcers from healing.

He went into RVC with 1/10 lame on left fetlock. This fetlock has been x-rayed, bone scanned, and thermally imaged twice with no findings. The conclusion was that given that the lameness was barely noticeable it was just bruising of some kind and not significant enough to be a factor for the ulcers.

However, my physio, who last saw my horse last August has visited this week and found exactly the same thing she found last year. The horse does not like having his left fore fetlock flexed and will snatch it off of her. (this has not happened for either vet but is an extremely specific reaction whenever she does it).

Therefore, physio has suggested an MRI of fetlock. My question is... how likely am I to see something when he has clear x-ray/bone scan/thermography?
The horse had spent 15k on him after breaking 6 weeks after I bought him so I would be paying for the MRI.

Anybody ever had a fetlock issue only seen by MRI?? and horse only very mildly lame??
I am worried that if there is something, it is likely to be significant as it has not self-healed in 12 months with him doing pretty much no work at all.

Any insight appreciated

 

[be positive]

The MRI will show the soft tissues which the other tests will not have but unless it has been done already and not mentioned in your post I would probably start with the cheaper option and have the fetlock ultrasound scanned as that should show any damage to the ligaments/ tendons, if it does not give a definitive answer then consider MRI.

There must be a reason the ulcers are not healing, usually due to underlying pain somewhere as you already know, the other option if possible would be to turn away fully for 12 months with shoes off and let him heal himself, I think if I had tried everything you have that would be my next step.

 

[mega spoilt ponies]

Thanks for the response. He has had so much treatment over the last year it is ridiculous! (ultrasound hind suspensories, medicate lower hock joint (just incase it hurts?!, medicate spine (just incase it hurts?!), bone scans, xrays of pretty much every part of his body, twice thermal imaging)

I was under the impression that ultrasound of the fetlock was not a very sensitive tool? perhaps i'll discuss that with the vet.

I am just worried that if it is a soft tissue injury that has not healed in a year of its own accord (very little exercise) - will it ever heal :-(