Inconsistent lameness - what to do?

[Marigold4]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about my 14 year old mare being lame in front. She is not ridden due to an injury she sustained as a yearling. I called the vet out as she appeared to be lame in front. Vet confirmed that she was lame in both fronts on a small circle and a relatively hard surface and we x-rayed. She couldn't block as she had already done a long lameness work up and had run out of the anaesthetic for blocks. Vet found moderate navicular. Since then she has been on danilon and in hoof boots but there is little difference to see. Trotting across the fields (which are now soft and wet but not boggy at all), she is from time to time really quite lame behind - it comes and goes. I'm going to ask the vet to come back but I'm confused as to what we are looking for. The hind lameness is very inconsistent. Sometimes she seems fine. Any thoughts, anyone. Does hind lameness on soft surface indicate soft tissue? Obviously I will leave it in my vet's hands what to do but just trying to get my head round it.

 

[Red-1]

I'd be pretty miffed a vet had turned up for a lameness workup without the agent to block TBH.

Navicular X rays can be variable as to the issue. Some look bad but seem to cause no pain. I think I would have waited for the vet to come back before x ray. Now, in your position, I'd have a lameness exam starting from scratch again as the issue may well be elsewhere. Then X ray and scan to where the pain blocks.

 

[Marigold4]

To be fair, she did phone to warn me that she had run out of blocking agent and offered to fix another time. She is a great vet.

Thanks for replying. I have booked a full lameness work up for next Tuesday.