Intermitant Lamenes, please help!!

[Fello]

My horse has been intermitently lame for about 8 months now. Only very slightly, 1/10th in the off fore leg and only on a circle with that leg on the inside, he trots up completely sound on concrete in a straight line. Unfortunately he threw a rather huge splint on that fore leg several months ago and when he was not quite right again, I put it down to that. I waited for about 6 weeks and he was stilll on and off not right so I took him to the veterinary clinic for nerve blocks and x rays. They blocked out the coffin joint and navicular separately and he was still unsound but when they blocked the foot altogether he was almost ok. We took x rays that showed good bone and no sign of any problems or abnormalities. The vet said that he was led to believe that the very mild lameness my horse was showing was probably down to bruising of the laminae area as due to the blocks and x rays that was the only other area the problem could be in. I was advised to carry on working him (as it was so mild, some people could not even recognise it) but only on a soft surface and my farrier was advised to carry on shoeing him but be aware of giving good heal support and keeping the toes short. Within two weeks my horse was sound and we have been doing great until.........................Saturday i was riding in the school and he didnt feel quite right again on the right rein. I am at the end of my teather and really dont know what to do next. Has anyone had any similar problem or any ideas as to where to go next? I am going to ring my vet again tomorrow. I already use a remidial farrier and I am just worried that my horse is never going to stay sound. The only coincidence I have is that the splint has flared up again but if it was the splint causing the problem in the first place then why did he go sound when blocking out the foot. Many thanks for reading and I look forward to recieving your replies.

 

[rubyred]

Could be different prblem this time. did the nerve blocks eliminate soft tissue in the foot - ie deep digital flexor tendon and colatteral ligaments? these can only be seen on an MRI scan

 

[Fello]

Apparently the digital flexor tendon and ligaments would have been blocked out when they blocked the navicular and coffin joint, so say. Im not sure, will ask. Im not sure that insurance pay for MRI scans do they and what could it show#? I would quite happily pay for it if it was to give me an answer but what could be so wrong to give me such a mild, intermitant problem??

 

[RachelB]

MRI shows a lot, it is basically a picture of a slice of the leg - bones, ligaments, tendons all on one picture. A good vet can come up with some fantastic pictures that can show a lot of things... MRI I am reliably told is the "gold standard" (of course, only if the vet can read the pictures, any technique is only as good as the vet). My insurance is curently considering paying for MRI of my horse's pastern area (intermittent lameness over 3 months, no changes on x-ray or ultrasound, so my vet is writing a report recommending her for MRI as it could greatly help her diagnosis). Things as expensive as MRI (I am told around £1000) will generally need a written report of recommendation from your vet, but in your case I would suggest going back to your vet and getting him to re-assess your horse as MRI could be a valid option. Do it quick though, your insurance will likely not pay out after 12 months from the onset of the lameness! Good luck, I hope you find out what it is.

 

[rubyred]

Normally insurance can pay for mri. it shows soft tissue damage not visible on xray which can present as mild lameness. Unfortunately some of the most persistant problems are only ever mildly lame. Not suggesting you rush off immediately but something to discuss with vet to gat a full diagnosis