Horse lame, no swelling, no heat, no injury. Any suggestions?

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Uniique

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My horse is 16.2hh warmblood. He was turned out firday morning with no problems. I went to get him in Friday around 2pm and found him reluctant to move. I got him into the yard and was resting his off fore and didnt want to put weight on it. He had a cut on his nose but other than that there are no signs of injury. There is no heat or swelling anywhere down any leg!! All four feet are fine, he is shod in front and bare behind there was nothing in his feet and no pucture wounds or tenderness in his soles. I box rested him Saturday, walked him in hand and gave him some alpha bute fri and sat pm to make him a bit more comfortable overnight. So today, he will walk, slightly tentitvly but is still lame. He was getting very restless, box walking and rearing in the morning as he is used ot being turned out so i decided he would do less damage grazing in his feild than in his box and i turned him out at lunch time for 4 - 5 hours. I have just got home after getting him in, he is still very lame and looks sore. However he was quite happy to dance around. Still no swelling or heat.
Any ideas?
 
If he were mine I would have the vet out first thing tomorrow. I would also keep him in if he is not very very quiet in the field - any horse that lame probably needs not to be larking about on it. Sounds like he slipped in the field at some point so the injury could be anything - vet every time for a noticeably lame horse with no obvious cause as far as I am concerned.
 
Sorry but I would have called the vet immediately rather than posting on a forum 2 days later. This injury could be anything, but if it is something requiring urgent veterinary attention, a delay could mean you are jeapordising his chance of recovery.
 
I agree with kizzywizz a horse that is lame with no obvious reason to me there is MORE reason to call the vet ,
It could be a foot abcess which can cause major problems if left untreated .
If there was an obvious cut or swelling I would be less worried than if there was no obvious reason for a horse to be lame.
Vet or if foot abcess suspected then farrier asap in my book.
 
Yes I would agree with the others and get the vet out. We are going through this at the moment, we believe our mare has damaged her check ligament, but will know for certain tomorrow when she is scanned. Initially vets thought it was her tendon, but following no swelling coming up, and a subsequent visit incl. nerve blocks, the diagnosis is tentatively changed to check ligament, which is better than a tendon, but will still involve 3 months off work. She has had a week of box rest which she dealt with with the help of a bit of sedalin to keep her calmer during the day.

Her symptoms are exactly as you describe by the way...
 
My first thought, from everything you describe, would be an abcess - sudden onset, extreme lameness with no associated swelling or heat. Have you checked his digital pulse in the lame leg? If it is an abcess then movement is the best thing for it - so turning him out is the best course of action. HOWEVER - I would get your vet out. They're the only ones who can diagnose and it's better to be safe than sorry.
 
Agree an absess sounds like a possibility. Mine had a puncture wound from a very small stone in foot about 3 weeks ago. Still treating the absess which arose as a result. If they are left untreated they can easily underrun & become more serious. Get vet asap. Also I wouldn't bute unless the vet ha suggested it first - you may be covering up symptoms which need to be seen.
 
I would get the farrier out straight away to see if there is an abcess as it sounds like that is the problem. If nothing there get the vet out
 
I have the same thing ATM - thing is unless you go down the scanning route there is little vet can do other than say *yep, it's lame* which is what the vet said about mine last week (she was at the yard treating another horse so asked her to have a look). She ummed and ahhhed and considered it *may* be an abscess but very high, well above the bulb of the foot. So I poulticed for 3 days and got jack :( He is still lame a week later, not overly, but about 2/10ths. He is being shod at end of week and if that doesn't throw anything up then we shall go and get scanned next week.

My advice - if you think it might be an abscess then get farrier rather than vet. If that doesn't solve anything the rest and if that doesn't help get vet.
 
Any animal that is in obvious pain should be seen by a vet straight away. This could be an abcess, but it could also be a fractured pedal bone, puncture wound to the sole, or damage to the tendon/ligaments in the foot. My mare came in ten tenths lame a few years ago. Immediate thought was an abcess but the vet couldn't find anything. The next day the reason was obvious - a nicely swollen lower leg and the scan revealed a sprained DDF and a self-inflicted kick to the back of the leg. For me though, first and foremost is pain relief.
 
Hi all. The farrier is coming out Thursday am as it's the earliest he can come. There is still moderate lamness, with no heat, no swelling and no pain on palapatation. He is on box rest and is wearing a hot poultice, to draw out an absess there may be. If farrier turns nothing up then vet will be out friday. The lameness is no worse or better than friday and he is happy in himself. Thanks for you contribution Weezy.
 
I would always get the vet or farrier if you think there may be an abcess. Bute and boxrest are the correct first treatment for any other non-obvious causes of lameness. Its usually best to give 3-4days days boxrest before embarking on a full lameness exam as theres always the chance its a minor strain that will resolve itself with some rest.
But yes, vet or farrier asap after an unidentifiable cause of lameness.
 
GlenRuby, thanks you very much for your post. He is on box rest with a poultice awaiting the farrier tomorrow morning. he is slightly better today and still happy as ever in himself. And your right, the vet will tell you to box rest first. Cheers x x x
 
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