ihatework
Well-Known Member
Great news and so glad that all the scare mongering was unfounded in the end!
I had a full lameness work up on Patches today!
- Thread starter Patches
- Start date
Lottie7
Well-Known Member
Sounds like exactly the results of the first work up my horse had. No specific changes to the hock - certainly no more than you would expect to see in a 10 year old event horse. However, as they couldn't find anything else (at that time) to explain the offness they also suggested medicating the hock. I agonised over this as I'm sure you have, as putting a needle in a joint also carried the risk of putting an infection in there.
However, guided by the experts I went ahead and had it done. I thought it made a huge difference at first but now I look back he was brought back to work in the summer when the sun had burnt the goodness out of the grass (so reducing the sugar content). Soon as I increased his hard good (in ignorance) as he got fitter we were back to square one. They then thought it was a sacroilliac problem ..... but that's the next stage of the story....
It turned out to be simple EPSM. I just wish someone had pointed me in the direction of EPSM at the time. He was qualified for Windsor and Gatcombe that year and we were told he would never event again. I wasted so many years trying to get to the bottom of his problem when it could so easily have been put right.
Hope you have better luck. Keeping everything crossed for you.
However, guided by the experts I went ahead and had it done. I thought it made a huge difference at first but now I look back he was brought back to work in the summer when the sun had burnt the goodness out of the grass (so reducing the sugar content). Soon as I increased his hard good (in ignorance) as he got fitter we were back to square one. They then thought it was a sacroilliac problem ..... but that's the next stage of the story....
It turned out to be simple EPSM. I just wish someone had pointed me in the direction of EPSM at the time. He was qualified for Windsor and Gatcombe that year and we were told he would never event again. I wasted so many years trying to get to the bottom of his problem when it could so easily have been put right.
Hope you have better luck. Keeping everything crossed for you.
Patches
Well-Known Member
Did you not put your horse on the high oil diet?
It's been mentioned to me numerous times that Patches is a classic candidate for EPSM.
Perhaps I should seriously try the diet again. I have oodles of corn oil and the selenium and vitamin E supplement that goes with it. I just can't remember how much oil she should be on! D'oh!
It's been mentioned to me numerous times that Patches is a classic candidate for EPSM.
Perhaps I should seriously try the diet again. I have oodles of corn oil and the selenium and vitamin E supplement that goes with it. I just can't remember how much oil she should be on! D'oh!
Lottie7
Well-Known Member
Yes I did put him on the high oil diet and the transformation was enough to make you weep.
That was after years of ups and down with some niggling problem we could not get to the bottom of - with two scintigraphy scans (1 year apart), nerve blocks, xrays of hock and stifle, ultrasound of back, medication of hock, new saddle, rider, copious physio - you name it, we tried it.
Which is why I say I wish somebody had pointed me in the direction of EPSM when he was a baby (I bred him). As it was, we did not discover EPSM until he was 12. Whilst he achieved a lot in his competitve career (due to his honesty and courage), had we known how to manage his condition earlier, he could have been a serious 4* horse. Not to mention being more comfortable in his own skin.
That's why I just like to mention the possibility to people in case they research it and alarm bells ring.
That was after years of ups and down with some niggling problem we could not get to the bottom of - with two scintigraphy scans (1 year apart), nerve blocks, xrays of hock and stifle, ultrasound of back, medication of hock, new saddle, rider, copious physio - you name it, we tried it.
Which is why I say I wish somebody had pointed me in the direction of EPSM when he was a baby (I bred him). As it was, we did not discover EPSM until he was 12. Whilst he achieved a lot in his competitve career (due to his honesty and courage), had we known how to manage his condition earlier, he could have been a serious 4* horse. Not to mention being more comfortable in his own skin.
That's why I just like to mention the possibility to people in case they research it and alarm bells ring.
Patches
Well-Known Member
Oh I'm so sorry Lottie, I took your initial reply to mean you'd qualified places and couldn't do things once the EPSM was diagnosed. My mistake.
I can fully understand how you feel. It seems to me, from the very little knowledge of EPSM I have that most owners end up trying out the oil diet in an almost self diagnostic way. Do vets really miss it that often? All those tests your poor lad went through.
You know what Lottie, out of respect to Patches and listening to your story, I think I will put Patches back on the diet. I just need to remember the diet now.
Time for the good old HHO Search!
I can fully understand how you feel. It seems to me, from the very little knowledge of EPSM I have that most owners end up trying out the oil diet in an almost self diagnostic way. Do vets really miss it that often? All those tests your poor lad went through.
You know what Lottie, out of respect to Patches and listening to your story, I think I will put Patches back on the diet. I just need to remember the diet now.
Time for the good old HHO Search!
GoJo
Well-Known Member
so glad her toe dragging is nothing nasty and good luck with her now- hope the steroids work well- my boy has the same problem and is going in for nerve blocks and xrays in the next few weeks.
Patches
Well-Known Member
Good luck with your lad.
Look at the other post about the osteopath. I would recommend you get someone like that out to your lad too. Such an eye opener.
Look at the other post about the osteopath. I would recommend you get someone like that out to your lad too. Such an eye opener.