Is this normal for ulcers/ psd or is there more going on?

[Timelyattraction]

So my horse has recently been diagnosed with the above but the last couple of weeks she has become increasingly worse with her front feet.

Used to have no problems at all but now i cannot pick them up without her loosing balance and nearly falling over backwards on her back legs and that’s if she even lets me get as far as picking them up, most the time if i just go touch them i get ears pinned back and teeth at me.
I know this isnt her because she is a kind natured horse and it is something just hurting her but i said to the vet about it and she seems to think it’s probably because of the ulcers because they have to use their stomach to hold themselves up. But i don’t believe the ulcers have just come on in the last couple of weeks so why would they cause this much pain now especially after being on medication for 6 days now. She had the farrier on the 6th feb and was fine for that so its gone down hill since then. I cant even begin to think how we’re going to do her feet when shes next due
Thoughts??

 

[nutjob]

My wobbler horse went through a phase of being unable to pick up front feet at all and striking out when it was attempted. Even vet sedation didn't help. Is her mobility OK in her neck and could she have had a neck injury from a fall etc. It's taken a lot of work for him to be OK again but it needs 2 people.

 

[Barton Bounty]

The ulcers are usually secondary to an underlying issue.

 

[Timelyattraction]

The ulcers are usually secondary to an underlying issue.

Yeah i know i put them down to pain from her suspensories and possibly also the fact she is a stressy horse

 

[doodle]

One of my horses symptoms that his ulcers are back is difficulty in picking up his left front leg. Right is always fine. I can get the left if I pick up the right first. But if I go straight for the left it dosnt work. I have asked the vet about it and he had never heard of it and couldn't work out why that would be. Ulcers treated and back to picking up feet easily.

 

[Timelyattraction]

One of my horses symptoms that his ulcers are back is difficulty in picking up his left front leg. Right is always fine. I can get the left if I pick up the right first. But if I go straight for the left it dosnt work. I have asked the vet about it and he had never heard of it and couldn't work out why that would be. Ulcers treated and back to picking up feet easily.

Interesting, i will give it more time then. Shes being treated for both fore and hind gut. They were only grade 2 but she is very sensitive bless her

 

[ycbm]

The ulcers are usually secondary to an underlying issue.

The horse has PSD.

 

[AWinter]

Yeah i know i put them down to pain from her suspensories and possibly also the fact she is a stressy horse

In my experiences suspensory issues are usually also a secondary issue to something else, I’d be looking a bit deeper. How is the hind hoof balance? Possibly back X-rays?

I agree that I would not expect such a change in behaviour.

 

[GypsGal1718]

I would look for axial skeleton issues before defaulting to limbs. I hope it gets better as quickly as possible

 

[lynz88]

I had issues picking up hinds when mine has SI problems. It was as if he had shivers and would shuffle around as much as possible to keep me from attempting to pick up the hinds. Didn't have too many problems when it was the hock/suspensory (apart from he may be a bit stiff and then leans on me) but he would absolutely refuse to move forward when that bothers him the most.

I also agree PSD is secondary to another issue and SI usually is as well - its usually been related to NPA (at least what I've seen) and would be looking at that as a place to start. How does the horse stand? Does the horse stand underneath itself and/or with hinds spread out wide?

 

[ycbm]

In my experiences suspensory issues are usually also a secondary issue to something else, I’d be looking a bit deeper. How is the hind hoof balance? Possibly back X-rays?

I agree that I would not expect such a change in behaviour.

I've seen them a lot in horses with straight hind legs. I think they are a conformational issue in horses of that type, with no other problem needed to trigger them than being born with straight hind legs. Though they do also seem to cause a camped under stance which can result in negative pedal bone angle and a sore back, which might confuse the issue a bit.

And of course medicating the SI, sorting out the kissing spines, correcting the negative angle will make the horse much more comfortable. But as long as the straight hind legs are still there the problem is likely to return. I've seen/ heard of a number of these horses rehabbed and relapsed and retired.

There been rather an explosion in the last decade of straight hocked cobs in particular, but also a lot of Connies and IDxs.
.

 

[Timelyattraction]

I quizzed the vet lots about NPA and having her feet xrayed but she was adamant she has good feet and she doesnt thibk its that. She thinks it is a confirmation issue so im not sure what else i can say

 

[Timelyattraction]

Dont have many good photos of hee standing square

 

[AWinter]

Dont have many good photos of hee standing square

I appreciate not a great photo but her heels look quite low to me on the hinds, had a similar issue with my horse in that several trimmers/vets had said he was fine but actually he was not and had very little heel and serious NPA aggravating all sorts of hind end issues. We’d been chasing the joints when actually the hooves were preventing him from improving. Not sure where you are but I can make recommendations of the people I used to help me if you’d like me to.

 

[Timelyattraction]

I appreciate not a great photo but her heels look quite low to me on the hinds, had a similar issue with my horse in that several trimmers/vets had said he was fine but actually he was not and had very little heel and serious NPA aggravating all sorts of hind end issues. We’d been chasing the joints when actually the hooves were preventing him from improving. Not sure where you are but I can make recommendations of the people I used to help me if you’d like me to.

Thank you. Cambs/beds border. Just hsving a hard time all round with it atm because she is not coping with box rest, vets gave me some sedative and that’s not working either. Shes box walking all day and not eating which isnt helping the ulcers. She also does the same if shes in a pen in the field. Feel like giving up and we’re only 1 week in

 

[lynz88]

Why can't she go out (or did I miss something)? Does she have any friends to go out in a proper field with? Movement is good for them especially if dealing with arthritis and if she's like that on box rest, it certainly won't be doing any good for the ulcers (and neither will her not eating).

 

[Timelyattraction]

Why can't she go out (or did I miss something)? Does she have any friends to go out in a proper field with? Movement is good for them especially if dealing with arthritis and if she's like that on box rest, it certainly won't be doing any good for the ulcers (and neither will her not eating).

Shes meant to be on box rest shes got damage to both hind suspensories that we are trying to heal. Only movement shes meant to be doing is her in hand rehab

 

[meleeka]

Shes meant to be on box rest shes got damage to both hind suspensories that we are trying to heal. Only movement shes meant to be doing is her in hand rehab

I think you can only work with what you’ve got. In an ideal world you’d be able to follow vets instructions, but your mare has other ideas unfortunately. Constantly box walking isn’t going to be doing much good anyway. Can she go out with a quiet older horse and just field rest? It might take longer, or might not even work, but you would have a balance between her wants and needs.

 

[Timelyattraction]

I think you can only work with what you’ve got. In an ideal world you’d be able to follow vets instructions, but your mare has other ideas unfortunately. Constantly box walking isn’t going to be doing much good anyway. Can she go out with a quiet older horse and just field rest? It might take longer, or might not even work, but you would have a balance between her wants and needs.

Its really tricky because i have 3 horses at home. So the other 2 go out in the field leaving her behind , my other 2 would cope fine with being left in the stable like this but she just doesnt. And tbh as soon as one horse leaves the yard, even if another one is with her she still does the same. The vet has said to keep all 3 in so she can rest but it just doesn’t seem fair on the other 2. My older retired one doesnt help because he’s constantly neighing to her from the field aswell.
Ive upped the sedaline to 3mlnwhich also is having no affect. I can turn her out with my gelding who she usually goes out with and she’s happy with but to be honest he has his mad moments running about in the field normally daily so hes not trustworthy. Its just a complete mess

 

[meleeka]

Its really tricky because i have 3 horses at home. So the other 2 go out in the field leaving her behind , my other 2 would cope fine with being left in the stable like this but she just doesnt. And tbh as soon as one horse leaves the yard, even if another one is with her she still does the same. The vet has said to keep all 3 in so she can rest but it just doesn’t seem fair on the other 2. My older retired one doesnt help because he’s constantly neighing to her from the field aswell.
Ive upped the sedaline to 3mlnwhich also is having no affect. I can turn her out with my gelding who she usually goes out with and she’s happy with but to be honest he has his mad moments running about in the field normally daily so hes not trustworthy. Its just a complete mess

How long is she meant to be in for? I’m in a similar position, but mine had laminitis. I’ve got them all close by so she can see them and one is doing yard rest with her. He's not bothered and could do with slimming down a bit, so it’s working so far, but I know when the sun finally comes out it’ll be a challenge.

 

[Timelyattraction]

How long is she meant to be in for? I’m in a similar position, but mine had laminitis. I’ve got them all close by so she can see them and one is doing yard rest with her. He's not bothered and could do with slimming down a bit, so it’s working so far, but I know when the sun finally comes out it’ll be a challenge.

They haven't actually said but she will have a rescan on her suspensories 4-6 weeks after her final shockwave therapy which is on the 27th march so it wont be atleast until the start of may (8 weeks away) and i suppose that depends on how much improvement there is as to weather or not she can go back on turn out.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You could try 2 lots of sedalin I gave 2 mls in the morning and 2mls at night for my mare and it kept her sort of sane.

I didn't box rest Arabi when he had laser on his I just left him out and he was sound afterwards, but he was 19 and I just made the decision to not box rest him anymore and I just thought if it works it works.

It's a bit different when they are younger you want to do the absolute best to get them fixed just difficultwhen you have them at home, I've got 2 at home and in the past I've just kept them both in to keep the peace and because they are always together they seem happier to do that.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I remember I had 4 horses at mine one summer 2 of mine on box rest and my friend moved her pony in at mine to keep Louis company in the field it worked really well.

Would your other 2 go out alone you could then always make sure one was in during the day then keep them all in at night.

 

[Timelyattraction]

I remember I had 4 horses at mine one summer 2 of mine on box rest and my friend moved her pony in at mine to keep Louis company in the field it worked really well.

Would your other 2 go out alone you could then always make sure one was in during the day then keep them all in at night.

The little pony will happily go out on her own so i will put her out and see if the box rest one is content with sedalin and her best pal with her. The other one wont go out on his own, hes a bit clingy with her atm for some reason no idea why as hes not usually like this ! I turned him out today and he was walking up and down the fence line 50% of the time neighing back to her so he will have to just stay in with her. Atleast the yard is fenced in so he can have the yard area outside the stables so he gets a leg stretch during the day as he is retired . Just annoying as well as now im having to spend £££ on hay when normally within the next couple of weeks i would have had the 2 big ones out 24/7

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The little pony will happily go out on her own so i will put her out and see if the box rest one is content with sedalin and her best pal with her. The other one wont go out on his own, hes a bit clingy with her atm for some reason no idea why as hes not usually like this ! I turned him out today and he was walking up and down the fence line 50% of the time neighing back to her so he will have to just stay in with her. Atleast the yard is fenced in so he can have the yard area outside the stables so he gets a leg stretch during the day as he is retired . Just annoying as well as now im having to spend £££ on hay when normally within the next couple of weeks i would have had the 2 big ones out 24/7

It's so annoying when they won't stay in alone but at least you have 1 that can stay out, and your other 2 will hopefully be happier in together and it's handy if he can just be outside on the yard.