Lame Horse - Vet has been...

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Christmas Crumpet

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Further to my initial post re: lame horse the vet came out last night and found that the mare was lame in both front feet. Its interesting because she came with what I thought were too big shoes - they were wider than her actual feet. The vet has suggested she goes up a size because her feet are so wide and flat. I did wonder whether a) she's always been lame in front and had remedial shoeing to counteract that or b) she has deep seated bruising. Where we live its very flinty and she is exercised on them every day.

The farrier is doing her at the moment and he's very good. Have asked him to look out for any bruising to the sole etc to see whether that's got anything to do with it. Thankfully the farrier and vet work very closely together so hopefully should be able to get to the bottom of it between the pair of them. Has anyone got any experience of deep bruising to the sole?

With regards her puffy leg he thought it was probably the interference from her other leg that had caused the bruising etc. She is to be ridden but not hunted and if her leg puffs up hugely again to get in touch with him straight away.

Annoyingly, I am to sell her for her owner and she won't pass a vet in a million years at present. Guess I'm stuck with a broken horse AGAIN!! Not only that but when I told the vet how much her owner was asking for her he was flabbergasted. Said she was worth half that and that's if she was 100% sound. Why do I always end up with the disasters?!!!
 
Am truly beginning to think we were seperated at birth - following our simultaneous tendon issues - we're now both onto deep bruising - its a spooky world!!
My boy has been lame (again) for nearly four weeks now and the current diagnosis is deep bruising. He was shod on 9th Jan, was lame by 11th, shoe removed, vet found bruise my (my farrier was away so used the vet), rested, sound, shoe on, 3 days later, lame again. After another ten days of bute and no improvement, back to vet who nerve blocked and xrayed to put my mind at rest after last 2 years of traumatic and fatal injuries. Xrays all clear and following nerve blocks, he was convinced its in the foot.
Now on another 10 days of bute to hit it hard with an anti-inflammatory, going out but with a Hoofeeze boot on over his bad foot to protect it (shoe still on). Farrier coming back in 14 days to reshoe him after bute out of system and to take a look, maybe put pad on. If no improvement then back to vet at end of Feb and they have said that the only route to go then is MRI. Apparently deep bruising can take weeks to come out and by the end of Feb beg Mar he will have been lame for 7-8 weeks so it's too soon to do anymore at the moment and vet is very hopeful it will just get better of it's own accord - I have everything crossed!!!
Feel free to PM me, can't believe there is someone out there with the same level of luck as me, keep your chin up.
crazy.gif
 
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He was shod on 9th Jan, was lame by 11th, shoe removed, vet found bruise my (my farrier was away so used the vet), rested, sound, shoe on, 3 days later, lame again.

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I can see what's causing his problem reading this sentence. When was he sound?.........think about it.
 
I had opposite advice re shoeing from my vet and farrier.My tbs feet are very flat and were splaying I was told they needed to be more upright.He was recommended a smaller shoe to bring the feet in and they have really improved .Could you get another farriers opinion.
Interestingly enough before I changed to this farrier he had bruised cannon bone and then mild tendon tear.The new farrier said it was because he couldnt pick his front feet up and get them away from his hind legs .The flat heels would then cause extra pressure on the tendon area .My vet confirmed all of the above.
 
Asked if shoes should be removed, as no heat etc etc the vet advised that with bruising the best thing is to leave the shoe on to protect the foot. Yes initial thoughts were that it was linked to the shoeing but vet now seems to be ruling that out as the foot has been dug around etc, lack of heat, not hopping lame, he thinks that it is not a little bruise but deep bruising and and this is a very knowledgable experienced vet so you bow to their knowledge and experience. May speak to farrier again tomorrow and see what he says but tonight was odd stuff on the frog area of the Animalintex that i put inside the Hoofeeze boot before I turned him out this morning......the plot thickens.....
 
How odd - I was told to get a wider shoe i.e. wider than the horse's foot because her feet couldn't cope with the smaller shoe. They needed width and height.

Rode the mare this morning and I noticed (more than usual) that in walk (esp. where there are stones on the ground) she misses a step - a bit like she's misstepping and a little stumble. She's fine on soft ground surprisingly enough. Her leg was still up this morning but rode her as advised and have turned her out. Hope she doesn't go loopy in the field seeing as she's been in her stable since Monday!!
 
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this is a very knowledgable experienced vet so you bow to their knowledge and experience.

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But sometimes they're blinkered in their way of approaching foot problems. From your description the only thing that has made this horse sound so far is shoe removal, how much more plain can your horse make his dilemma to you? Time to think outside the box.
 
Further to post...spoke to farrier and spoke to instructor......both said to leave the shoes on for the time being...........This isn't a bruised sole anymore so they think, it's deep bruising or possibly worst still a soft tissue injury. The lameness is different to the first onset and their is no sensitivuty like there was before. Farrier going to pop out over next couple of days to put my mind at rest bless him. Whilst I appreciate help and advice, you have to take the advice of the experts as otherwise where else do you go? This particular vet works for one of the best clinics in the country and is a leader in his industry, aside from that I trust his judgement and don't consider him to be blinkered, in fact the opposite. Thank you for your comments and will update post when I know more.
 
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you have to take the advice of the experts as otherwise where else do you go?

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I know, and I do understand, I've soooo been there. Just keep it in the back of your mind if things don't get better.
 
I understand your problems with regard to deep bruising - the joys of owning TBs. My TB has barely any sole and very low lying pedal bones. He used to suffer from bruised soles very regularly - he'd spend at least 2 weeks out of every 6 off work. I'd agree that keeping the shoe on is the way forward. If you keep taking the shoe off and putting the shoe back on you're only going to concuss the area further. If your horse comes sound and the problem was found to be deep bruising I'd recommend talking to your farrier about pads. They kept my TB sound and whilst expensive it's worth it. You can use them short term just to allow the deep bruising to settle.
I'd kept in regular contact with your vet. Sadly for my TB his flat feet, thin soles and generally useless conformation mean that he's currently off work with collateral ligament problems. If yours doesn't come sound I'd encourage your vet to proceed with nerve blocks, with those kind of soft tissue injuries the earlier the diagnosis, the easier the treatment. Good luck.
 
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I understand your problems with regard to deep bruising - the joys of owning TBs. My TB has barely any sole and very low lying pedal bones. He used to suffer from bruised soles very regularly - he'd spend at least 2 weeks out of every 6 off work. I'd agree that keeping the shoe on is the way forward. If you keep taking the shoe off and putting the shoe back on you're only going to concuss the area further. If your horse comes sound and the problem was found to be deep bruising I'd recommend talking to your farrier about pads. They kept my TB sound and whilst expensive it's worth it. You can use them short term just to allow the deep bruising to settle.
I'd kept in regular contact with your vet. Sadly for my TB his flat feet, thin soles and generally useless conformation mean that he's currently off work with collateral ligament problems. If yours doesn't come sound I'd encourage your vet to proceed with nerve blocks, with those kind of soft tissue injuries the earlier the diagnosis, the easier the treatment. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ] i agree with suzzie, as she knows i am in the same position as her- these tb with there cr8p feet!. my horse went down the same road in may07 - bruising then soft tissue damage in the hoof after 3 mths box rest sound, then after 3mths in-work lame again and now after an mri scan its damaged collaterial ligaments in both front feet. so if you can push for an mri and get to the botton of it as you can do alot of damage turning out a horse with damaged collaterials. take care and good luck as i would wish this injury on anyone.
 
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