Ideas please ?

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auntienutnut

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Bit of history.

I have owned the horse for 5 months,6 years old,16.3h Irish type, rode brilliant when viewed and passed a five stage vetting when purchased, although does have soft feet noted on vetting.

Since being at home has always been very hard work in the school not forward at all, not sure if there was an under lying problem, saddle, back, teeth all checked out.
The forwardness seem to disappear more and more over time until.

6 weeks ago went lame on front fore.

Vet came out and although lame on front fore, seemed to think that leg was just the worse pain and was lame on all four legs but lets sort out front fore first.

Took horse to vets, xrays showed nothing

Nerve blocked went sound on that leg so thought abscess, even thought vet couldn't find it so sent us home to poultice after a week of poultice no abscess appeared.

Week later vet is now thinking laminitis, how ever strange that may seem.
Tested for high insulin levels, all fine.
Tested for metabolic syndrome, all fine.



Vet still thinks laminitis, horse is still lame.

Any ideas anyone?? Vet is puzzled.
 
auntienutnut said:
Bit of history.

I have owned the horse for 5 months,6 years old,16.3h Irish type, rode brilliant when viewed and passed a five stage vetting when purchased, although does have soft feet noted on vetting.

Since being at home has always been very hard work in the school not forward at all, not sure if there was an under lying problem, saddle, back, teeth all checked out.
The forwardness seem to disappear more and more over time until.

6 weeks ago went lame on front fore.

Vet came out and although lame on front fore, seemed to think that leg was just the worse pain and was lame on all four legs but lets sort out front fore first.

Took horse to vets, xrays showed nothing

Nerve blocked went sound on that leg so thought abscess, even thought vet couldn't find it so sent us home to poultice after a week of poultice no abscess appeared.

Week later vet is now thinking laminitis, how ever strange that may seem.
Tested for high insulin levels, all fine.
Tested for metabolic syndrome, all fine.



Vet still thinks laminitis, horse is still lame.

Any ideas anyone?? Vet is puzzled.
Click to expand...

Has the vet conducted nerve blocks to try and establish where abouts the horseis lame?? I would have thought that would be the first point of call before xrays were taken, otherwise you could end up xraying every bone in the leg to try and establish the source of pain! Probably effective, but very expensive!
 
applecart14 said:
Has the vet conducted nerve blocks to try and establish where abouts the horseis lame?? I would have thought that would be the first point of call before xrays were taken, otherwise you could end up xraying every bone in the leg to try and establish the source of pain! Probably effective, but very expensive!
Click to expand...

Hello, thanks for the reply

Sorry maybe I didn't make it clear he nerve blocked the hoof on the front fore and went sound on that leg.

There is also no heat on swelling on the legs but a strong digital pulse.
 
I wouldn't rule out it still being an abscess tbh - I have known ones take a lot longer to come out.

Is there heat? Digital pulse on more than one limb? Does he stand at rest normally on the lame leg? Have you tried keeping him off grass to see if there is any improvement?

I would be getting my farrier out to get his opinion - hope you find out what is wrong.
 
This sounds so like mine, except that mine is home bred so I know his total history. He has had thin sensitive soles for several years, and I sacked one farrier who insisted on trimming them even though he wasn't being shod. A good trimmer was on track to improve them in the last 18 months.
Every spring/early summer he went "footy" so I reduced his grass availability, and this has happened for six or seven years, despite a low sugar diet, as I am aware of the risks. Last September I had an ACTH test done and iut came back at 18 so I discounted PPID. This spring again presented the same, except it didn't respond to taking him off grass. He lived in the manege for a couple of months and did appear to be improving but I was convinced it was metabolic and that last years result was a false negative. I had some Prascend from a veteran pony so put him on 1/2 a tablet a day, then up to 1mg and (changed vet) another test. Came back at 28 on 1mg Prascend/day! Meanwhile suddenly he was crippled for no apparent reason and x rays revealed significant and long standing sinkage - he very nearly foundered. Heart bars from a top class highly regarded farrier and 8 weeks box rest later he is now starting a little exercise - and walking out better than he has done for years! I suspect his lack of forward was due to his feet not being comfortable for a long time.
With the benefit of hindsight x rays might have shown something but I don't know at what stage, and several ACTH tests over a couple of years MIGHT have revealed a problem. The soles were something my then farrier seemed to ignore - and he was the hoof professional wasn't he??
I don't know what is happening with yours but I would never dismiss "laziness" again, especially as it is progressive. I spent a fortune on saddles and fitters, supplements, lessons and different farriers/trimmers. X rays MIGHT have revealed the problem, but who knows. It is a very long road of investigation but don't rely on negative blood tests, I know several who have found the appropriate treatment reveals more than the tests.
I'm REALLY looking forward to riding my now forward going horse before too long - I think!
 
You probably can't go too far wrong by treating as Laminitis anyway. If nothing showed on xrays ie rotation/sinking then that's good and it should be a fairly simple recovery if its Laminitis but if there is a sudden decline then I would advise more xrays asap.
Is he on more grass than he was? Or a different feed?
Contrary to popular belief....there may be some types more prone but absolutely any horse can develop Laminitis.
This site is worth a read
http://www.thelaminitissite.org/laminitis.html
 
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