lame for 2 mnths.....

L&M

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Any opinions?

My cob came in from the field around 3/10th's lame in early may, initially I had my farrier look as had been recently shod, but he couldn't identify anything. I then called the vet, and although the lameness was apparent on the near fore, he diagnosed neck/chest pain. Admittedly my horse did react to being manipulated on his neck and down to the chest area, so went with the diagnosis, but am now wondering if a bit of a red herring.

We were advised 2 weeks field rest and bute, then a gradual return to work. In the meantime we also had our equine physio out who did some work on his neck and seemed to agree with the diagnosis, and also gave me some stretches to do both in hand and under saddle. She told me to work him through it and not be too concerned if he didn't feel initially level, and should improve with work and the prescribed exercises.

By the beginning of June we put him back in walk work and initially seemed sound, so still following advice from the vet and physio, started to increase his work load. Again he seemed sound in trot but a couple of days ago I felt him going a little short trotting around a sharp bend. I though I was being paranoid so popped him on the lunge, and quite obviously lame on the near fore again.

He is booked in for a full lameness work up next thursday, and will be on field rest until then (he won't 'do' box rest).

I am now increasingly concerned as this has been grumbling on for 2 mnths, but does seem to improve when rested, so am now leaning towards tendon/ligament injury.

Any thoughts/ideas/crystal balls?!

Thanks
 
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Pinkvboots

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I think I would be going to a different vet it really sounds like they don't know what there doing, a high percentage of lameness is in the foot so I would expect a vet to look and investigate that first, and I would expect a vet to pick up on lameness it's a bit of a weird one them saying the chest and neck is the issue.

If your insured let them know now because you only get about 3 months from the time you called the vet for the issue you want to claim for.
 
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Highmileagecob

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Maybe ask your farrier to have a close look for signs of an abscess brewing up. Some can take months to burst out.
Any bruised sole, thrush, blood blisters evident on the hoof wall (only evident on white hooves, sorry!), new hoof growth coming in at a different angle, laminitis rings? Also a bit of a wild card - check teeth. Mouth pain may cause the head to be held differently, which affects the whole way of going. Hope you can find a way through, slight lameness can be a devil to get to grips with.
 
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L&M

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I think I would be going to a different vet it really sounds like they don't know what there doing, a high percentage of lameness is in the foot so I would expect a vet to look and investigate that first, and I would expect a vet to pick up on lameness it's a bit of a weird one them saying the chest and neck is the issue.

If your insured let them know now because you only get about 3 months from the time you called the vet for the issue you want to claim for.
totally agree......our vet is a good horse vet and have never questioned a diagnosis before, but the lameness screams foot to me too.
 

L&M

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Maybe ask your farrier to have a close look for signs of an abscess brewing up. Some can take months to burst out.
Any bruised sole, thrush, blood blisters evident on the hoof wall (only evident on white hooves, sorry!), new hoof growth coming in at a different angle, laminitis rings? Also a bit of a wild card - check teeth. Mouth pain may cause the head to be held differently, which affects the whole way of going. Hope you can find a way through, slight lameness can be a devil to get to grips with.
My partner is a farrier and he has searched him several times so don't think it is hoof related, however never considered teeth, so will get the vet to also have a look at his mouth, thanks.
 
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Sossigpoker

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Lameness is almost always coming from the knee down. For a chest or neck issue to be causing it , your horse would have had a serious injury which you'd be award of.
The neck pain , unless caused by arthritis, will be due to the lameness.

I'd seek a second opinion after this time .
 

L&M

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Partner isn't going to see soft tissue damage in the hoof. A nerve block will quite quickly/simply give you the answer on that (because that would be my guess too)

Sorry, what I meant that there was no sign of 'hoof' related issues such as an abscess/corns/nail bind/bruised sole/evidence of laminitis etc......of course I appreciate that neither vet nor farrier can see soft tissue damage without the appropriate scan.
 

irishdraft

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My friend has had a similar situation with her horse he had been intermittently lame which resolved with rest but then it came back with work. Anyhow had vet a couple of times who said neck problem then ended up with bone scan to find arthritis in the fetlock. This was all with a very experienced equine vet I haven't seen her to get all the ins & outs but I was puzzled he had to do a bone scan to find arthritis in the fetlock.
 

L&M

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Lameness is almost always coming from the knee down. For a chest or neck issue to be causing it , your horse would have had a serious injury which you'd be award of.
The neck pain , unless caused by arthritis, will be due to the lameness.

I'd seek a second opinion after this time .
My friend has had a similar situation with her horse he had been intermittently lame which resolved with rest but then it came back with work. Anyhow had vet a couple of times who said neck problem then ended up with bone scan to find arthritis in the fetlock. This was all with a very experienced equine vet I haven't seen her to get all the ins & outs but I was puzzled he had to do a bone scan to find arthritis in the fetlock.
Arthritic changes also occured to me, at least they should show up on any x rays.

I suppose even vets have bad days......
 

SusieT

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If I'm right the vet has seen this horse once, recommended treatment - it got better but did not resolve and is now worse.
You are now reviewing the case with them and going for more work up . That sounds reasonable? Not sure thats a bad day just injuries...
 

L&M

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If I'm right the vet has seen this horse once, recommended treatment - it got better but did not resolve and is now worse.
You are now reviewing the case with them and going for more work up . That sounds reasonable? Not sure thats a bad day just injuries...
That response was re the vet in Irishdrafts post, not my own.....
 

Zoeypxo

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I had 2 farriers look at my horse both saying not in the foot.
Vet came nerve blocked the foot and it certainly was lameness in the foot !
Turned out to be coffin joint arthritis and NPA
 
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