Heat in hoof and lameness. (also in vet)

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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I have posted this in veterinary but since more people are on here and I could do with some advice please.......? My boy lost a shoe in this horrible sticky mud on Friday. Yard owner rang to tell me as he brought George in for me, and he tells me that he's come in sound and there nothing untoward to worry about. I have the farrier booked to come 8am tomorrow morning and George has lost shoes before with no other probs so I didn't worry too much. Anyway yesterday morning I arrive at the yard to find that he's got quite a bit of heat in his hoof but there was no swelling further up and after walking him around the school and seeming fairly sound (maybe a little foot sore but I thought this was to be expected as he's wrenched a shoe off) I turned him out to be with his friends. Last night when I brought him in he was more obviously lame and I felt really stupid and guilty for not going with my gut feeling and keeping him in. So I cold hosed for a while and put his bioflow wraps on over night. This morning He's definately lame. There is slight redness that looks like a bruise starting on his coronet and his hoof is hot which has spread a little up his leg. I have cold hosed again and kept him in today with a lovely big haynet but what I'm wondering is do you think this could all possibly be just a bruise from losing a shoe or should I also have called the vet to take a look in case it's something more sinister? I should also add that althought the people on my yard are very knowledgeable thay also have a tendency to dismiss most of my concerns and make me feel like a worry wart! Sorry this has been long and rambley but I am grateful for any replies!
 
I would wait until the farrier comes, when one of ours went lame we got the farrier out and he sorted it.

If the farrier isn't sure/its not something obvious, then I'd get the vet out.

I'd imagine its just a bruise from losing the shoe, running around on the hard ground (well our ground is rock hard, not sure about yours!) particularly if he's normally used to having a shoe on.

I wouldnt worry, farrier first and then see what happens =] xxxx
 
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Abcess maybe? What's his digital pulse like?

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My thoughts too although it could be bruising.

I would wait until the farrier has been out if he was my horse.
 
If its feet related then i suggest you wait until your farrier sees the horse before calling the vet out. Your farrier will be able to deal with or eliminate any feet issues and if its anything else then by all means ring your vet.

It sounds like it could be an abcess so you may not be having that shoe back on tomorrow
 
Thanks for all your replies! I have been back down this evening and he seems better for having been in today. I led him around our school for a bit to stretch his legs and he was pretty much sound. His foot is still warm but it's deffo no worse and I couldn't feel anything much when feeling for his digital pulse in any of his feet so I'm thinking (hoping) that it really isn't anything worse than bruising! I should have mentioned before that he's a typical flat footed TB and I doubt that hooning about with his mates yesterday on very muddy and uneven ground with no shoe did him any favours at all. In future I shall listen to the little voices telling me to keep him in and not listen to anyone else lol! Anyway our lovely Farrier will be out at 8am tomorrow morning and hopefully the mystery will be solved if not the problem. But at least i'll have an idea what we're dealing with. Anyway thanks again for the replies, sometimes it's just good to be able to sound off a bit and get some other unbiased opinions.
 
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