Is there just a thing as 'footsore'?

[Fools Motto]

Horse is very very lame (can't walk) vet been, farrier been, and seriously nothing obvious. Xrays clean, hoof testers = nothing, no swellings, no heat. Both front feet. Suggestion is footsore, and with time, and pain killers the horse will get better. Got progressively worse over the past 10 days after a tiny abscess which was polticed.
Can anyone tell me anything regarding their own experience, or suggestions that perhaps we haven't thought of yet? Horse is stabled, on a massive deep bed, with bandaged pads onto the feet.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Are you sure there isn't any deep seated abcesses still kicking about?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Are you sure there isn't any deep seated abcesses still kicking about?

This was my thought too.

 

[Gloi]

Have you tested for Cushings / EMS?

 

[Fools Motto]

It would make sense apart from no obvious points of pain using the hoof testers? And the odds of having such a deep seated abscess in both front feet? The poltice came off clean, the farrier didn't notice anything either?
As the groom, trying to think outside the box, and do something to help!

 

[HobleytheTB]

Is it definitely in the feet? If so I'd think there must be some kind of abscess or very bad bruising/ haematoma going on. But that's obviously difficult to pin point if no reaction to hoof testers! Any signs of seedy toe? Have you tried hot tubbing?

 

[Fools Motto]

Would bruising cause discolouration of the hoof/sole? If the farrier trimmed the feet, would it not look 'purple?' (grey horse). Hoping whatever it is, it would be obvious, but there is literally nothing to see or feel. Just a lame horse.

 

[SusieT]

laminitis?

 

[ester]

hmm not if hoof testers = nothing.

Frank has been 'footsore' the last time 2 years ago. He'd react to you tapping his sole with a hoof pick at the time.

FM deep bruising can take a long time to be visible, months sometimes.

 

[Gloi]

Would bruising cause discolouration of the hoof/sole? If the farrier trimmed the feet, would it not look 'purple?' (grey horse). Hoping whatever it is, it would be obvious, but there is literally nothing to see or feel. Just a lame horse.

It takes a while for bruising in hooves to become visible at the surface.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I've had them with abscesses not really react to hoof testers. One with a huge blood blister almost under the sole. Can't remember his hoof tester response exactly but he was certainly more lame than he was hoof test reactive.

 

[Fools Motto]

laminitis?

Thinking this. Expected to see rotated pedal bone on xray, but all very good. It simply doesn't add up yet.

 

[Gloi]

How are the frogs? Any deep seated thrush hiding in there?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Agree with others, deep bruising can take a long time to show up on the sole.

 

[Fools Motto]

I've had them with abscesses not really react to hoof testers. One with a huge blood blister almost under the sole. Can't remember his hoof tester response exactly but he was certainly more lame than he was hoof test reactive.

You'd think they'd hit the roof when the testers touch the sore spot!

 

[ester]

pulses?

 

[Fools Motto]

How are the frogs? Any deep seated thrush hiding in there?

Very good point. Has had thrush in the past, and treated. I'll need to have a closer look. Would thrush alone cause acute pain?

 

[PapaverFollis]

You'd think they'd hit the roof when the testers touch the sore spot!

Just had MrT blow an abscess out the heal bulb last week. Lame as you like, clearly in pain. Couldn't get a hoof test reaction out of him. Not that could be distinguished from general fidgeting.

 

[Gloi]

Very good point. Has had thrush in the past, and treated. I'll need to have a closer look. Would thrush alone cause acute pain?

It could do, if it is getting in deep Does he have a narrow central sulcus?

 

[holeymoley]

They don’t always hit the roof with hoof testers. Mine didn’t until he had really bad rotational laminitis. I had him checked for it a few years before when he was ‘footy’ and he didn’t react. He’s actually insulin resistant and can’t progress sugars correctly, my thoughts are that this was going on in the background for some time, not quite reaching the laminitic point but definitely allowing for some sort of inflammation which rendered him footy.

 

[Buster2020]

My horse have been foot sore and she wasn’t very lame she was only a little bit off and grumpy. could it be laminitis

 

[Fools Motto]

It could do, if it is getting in deep Does he have a narrow central sulcus?

I don't think so, but I do know it's not the healthiest of frogs I've seen. Trouble is, right now, it's almost impossible to lift either foot up, as doesn't want to stand on the other one.

 

[Archangel]

My mare had a lameness that didn't react to hoof testers at all. Abscess eventually came out through the coronary band. Looking back it was a very early indicator that all was not well with her metabolic system and she was diagnosed later PPID and IR.

How old is the horse?

 

[Fools Motto]

Also to add, no pulses, which surely means there is no infections? alongside the no heat or swellings.

 

[Fools Motto]

My mare had a lameness that didn't react to hoof testers at all. Abscess eventually came out through the coronary band. Looking back it was a very early indicator that all was not well with her metabolic system and she was diagnosed later PPID and IR.

How old is the horse?

20+
retired now from working, in every night, out for a few hours during the day, in a well used paddock to restrict intake, and on steamed hay. Has been very jolly and happy - until this. Should I suggest doing bloods?

 

[ester]

Shod?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sounds like laminitis it doesn't always show on an x ray in early stages.

Or how are his soles? Could be thin or soft soles due to all the wet weather they can get sensitive, my horse had this and the vet initially thought laminitis.

 

[Shilasdair]

20+
retired now from working, in every night, out for a few hours during the day, in a well used paddock to restrict intake, and on steamed hay. Has been very jolly and happy - until this. Should I suggest doing bloods?

Yes, I would advise asking your vet if they will test for metabolic disorders. There are a few things it could be - EMS or PPID, or perhaps it really is laminitis but it takes time for pedal bone rotation to show on an X-ray.

 

[doodle]

You don’t always get rotation with laminitis. Minto was really very sore (Miss diagnosed by first vet so it escalated) with no movement on xrays. He went out after 2 months, went nuts, came in very sore so had more xrays and still no movement.

 

[Archangel]

Should I suggest doing bloods?

I would yes.