Help needed to decipher vets report!!!

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Siam Jack

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Posted a few weeks ago about my girl "Pippy" going lame, vets put her on box rest /bute for a week, had farrier out to check no problems but still lame on R fore. Just recd previous vets records and I really need help!
I will be passing this on to my vet on monday but in the meantime.....can anyone help???

report from July 2009....
scan back-suspicious of 3-4 over-riding DSP's mid caudal thoracic region
feet-coffin joint OA both and sesamoiditis and mild fetlock OA R fore
Back- over riding DSP's- 2 severe active change marked with clip marks

Aug 2009-
Inject 4 x overiding DSP spaces from 1 space in front of 1st clip mark and 2nd clip mark
Commence shock wave in 3wks as goes back into gentle exercise

Now even though I was a bit shocked to see treatment from 2yrs ago after being told she has had no previous problems, I really just want my happy hacker back!

does anyone know about the above?? will I ever get her back in work? (only gentle hacking/trot)

many thanks for any replies, obviously I need to speak to my vet on monday but this place is such a comfort being able to share problems
thanks
 
Well, she's had kissing spines and she has arthritis of both her ?front? feet along with swelling and arthritis in her right fetlock joint. She might be fine with some treatment and supplements but I dunno if I'd do much trotting on the road.
 
Sounds like the fetlock athritis might be flaring up again from that history. Is this history from her previous owner? Otherwise i dont really undertsand why you are shocked.

So, in a nutshell, she has kissing spines, coffin joint arthritis, inflammation of the sesamoids and right fetlock arthritis(mild). The KS has been treated (though thee injections only work for approx 6mths). Most likely if the rest of the issues were taken care of this is why the KS has not been an obvious problem. I would suggest that blocking the fetlock would be the place to start though your vet may decide to block out the foot first to see how much the part the coffin jt arthritis is playing. What level of work were you doingwith her and how hard is the ground where you are? None of this will be overed on insurance (unless another eason for the lameness isfound).


Id be making sure your horse's foot balance is good first and foremost and then if vet recommends, medicating th fetlock jt to reduce the inflammation.
 
Thanks for quick reply FL, I have just been reading a post re "kissing spine" I knew she had OA in her legs as she is 16yrs and was a bit stiff in school until she walked round a few times, then she would loosen up and had the most brill canter and trot.

I would NEVER EVER think about getting rid of her for anything like this, but previous owner needs to keep out of my way (which is not really a prob) as she assured me she was sound in every way when vetted last year and had no problems,
I suppose there's a lesson there for everyone as I didnt get her vetted before purchase as she came recommended as a gentle schoolmistress (which she is!) by a few on my yard, but she may become a field ornament now!!!!
 
How lame is she? How bad is she on bute? his will not necessarily make her a field ornament- that may depend on how much you can afford for treatment.
If you are inexperienced with assessing horses a vetting is vital. As you have experienced, its not fun to find out the hrad way.
 
glenruby..I have just recd this history today, see previous post,,,previous owner said nothing of any of these probs, but still my own fault for being so trusting of people.... she has "heart bar shoes" on the front only, never had any on the back as far as I'm aware?

I only took her in the school (sand surface) and as I am such a novice was having lessons to Canter, I have a friend though who is 14yrs is experienced and did jump her in the school a couple of times before this happened, (very small jumps) the ground was hard up til last week but any trot canter while out was always on grass.

What are sesamoids????
 
She's not hopping lame, had her on bute for 7 days but seemed to make no difference,

The report has in August 2009 all the above and then in Sept 2009 another entry stating: Sound at walk/trot on straight, 1/10 lame behind on a circle advise: start exercise programme.
 
Well, sounds like she got over it before fairly easily. I would rest her for a minimum 2 weeks. Preferably box rest with handwalking but if shes sensible in the field a small paddock might be better. If you are only giving 1 bute daily (you dont say what size she is) then that may not b enough to rduce the discomfort but you should consult your vet before increasing the dose. Realistically if you dont try the bute and box rest for a minimum of 1 week(which you have) before you call the vet out, then thats what they willtell you to do. If you then want to go ahead with diagnosis/treatment quite quickly it will probbly involve joint medication to reduce the inflammation. The old fashioned treatemtn(for most lameness!) was to box rest for 2wks on bute then turn away for a coupl of months - time is a great healer!

Sesamoids are the two little bones that sit within th suspensory ligament at the back of the fetlock joint.

How long has she worn heartbars for and under whose direction? Feet do not necessarily need to be shod to be correctly balanced. I would suggest that a series of foot balance radiographs would be a good investment.
 
when she had the scan and the diagnosis of the coffin joint with OA the vet recommended "bar shoes and pads both front feet and balance feet"
(sorry I thought it was heartbar shoes unless they are the same thing?), she has had these on since we got her last yr.
She is 14h Cob and she was on bute twice a day, but really IMO made no difference although she could not tell me that !
 
I'm not sure why she should have heart bar shoes for OA, what about something like natural balance? GR is right- xrays to ensure the feet are balanced will be very helpful in getting her sound again. I would give up the jumping for sure though.
 
I would speak to your vet about increasing the level of bute gradually until it makes a diffeence. It may give you an indicator of prognosis. Unfortunately cobs are prone to coffin jt arthritis. The worst case i saw was a 6yo cob who was what appeared to be mildly lame though resting the front foot also. Not mcuh change on 2 bute daily. Increased bute to 4 daily then 6 (dont ask me why I suggested it, I never used those levels before). Suddenly this cob was charging around the field bucking and playing and enjoying life. Reduce the dose and he became lazy and slow again and then lame. The worst coffin joint changes id ever seen. Risk of lami too intense to treat with steroid injections and no way of safely keeping him confortble. The kindest thing was to PTS. Probably the saddest case i dealt with.

Yours, hopefully is not such a case. One of the points of the story is that people often underestimate the dose for cobs. 2 bute a day is not a high dose for an adult cob or horse (except perhaps when used longterm). Becuse she is a cob, be wary of joint injections (your vt may refuse to do them anyway such is the lami risk). There are alternative anti-inflammatory treatments on the market which hopefully your vet will discuss.
I agree with farrier-lover - I think I would cut out the jumping and be happy if she can gently hack (at least on summer ground-often you get away with more in winter as long as she has sufficient turn out). As for the bar shoes, its not uncommon for them to be advised in the "remedial phase" but usually once the horse comes sound they move into normal shoes. I would ask your vet to consider what shoeing options might help your horse and ask him to work with your farrier to find a solution for her. Always best to have both work together. Best of luck wih your mare.
 
Thank you so much for replies and advice, I'm not going to give up on her yet.... will let you know after vets visit, it also gives me so much more confidence when dealing with vet actually knowing what I'm talking about!!!
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