Lame horse - when do I panic

WellyBaggins

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I have a lovely 6yo TB, he went lame last Monday, fine Sat, Sun off, hacked on Monday and he was lame. Rang farrier as he was shod the week before, possibly nail bind. Farrier came out, shoe off, nothing to see, shoe on, still lame. Left him until Fri, MUCH better but still lame. Farrier back out, shoe off, poultice, suspected bruising, a bit of rubbish on poultice on day one but not much, then clean. Farrier out today, shoe back on with pads, to prevent bruising sole again, if that was what it was. Trotted up STILL lame. I am going to give him a couple of days before I trot him up again and go from there.

Horse been lame 1 week today, when do I offically start to panic (although I already am, in my head it is navicular already!) and get the vet? There is nothing to see so it will be nerves blocks, the lot!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To top it off he had a mild bout of colic this morning from being in, he gorged himself the fat bloater :(

Suggestions on a postcard please :)
 
It could be an abcess or similar...maybe farrier was unable to pick it up. Or he may have injured himself in the field when he was off on the sunday. Personjally a week after going lame i would be getting the vet out to find out what it is before its been an overly long time!
Dont panic im sure its unlikely to be navicular, it'l prob be a sprain or something..TBs are renownd for injuring themselves. My suggestion would be mayb leave him out tonight though or get vet before that you dont want a serious bout of colic.
 
hmmm id say it may be an abcess aswell, as my friends horse went the same way as yours and it as an abcess and farrier didnt notice either. Treatment was as far as i can remember; shoe off, polticed for a few days with painkillers or something. TBH i wouldnt be turning a lame horse out as it may make things worse if there messing around but thats just me :D Id gve him a limited supply of food through out the day so he doesnt gorge so breaky lunch then dinner
 
I'd of called the vet by now if it was me but then I confess I'm quite quick to call a vet...too quick at times :rolleyes:

The way I look at it, your only going to stress out more if you don't, you've done farrier route, horse has had more than few days and you still have a lame horse, might be nothing serious but it certainly think it's time you got the vet, quicker it's looked at, quicker it can be sorted!

Good luck
 
Thanks for all your replies, he is out in the field, he doesn't pratt about and has been in all weekend being poulticed, so a bit fed up, also don't want him with colic again. He is much better, 2/10 lame on a turn, intermittent on a straight line. I will trot him up tomorrow to see if it has settled down, now he has pads on, if lame the vet will come out. Farrier is V good (honestly) works with the vets etc so if it were in the foot he would have found it, no heat/pulse in the foot but equally nothing to see on the leg. Had a full work up by the physio 3 days before the lameness so I KNOW he was 100% beforehand.

Will let you know what happens!

Thanks all :)
 
PS, shoe only went back on yesterday so will give it a day to settle, with his new pads on. The vet is gonna be fed up with me, I have seen him 3x in the last 5 days (not all this horse, we have a yard full :p)
 
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Farrier is V good (honestly) works with the vets etc so if it were in the foot he would have found it

Wouldn't doubt your farrier at all.

But after a week - it's vet time.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.
 
I have had the same for 3 weeks. A lot of horses have gone lame around us. I put it down to the hard ground we had. Mine has shoes but farrier suspected a corn bit odd as its on the sole not under the shoe. Much better after he changed her shoes. She was sound! 2 days later still not quite right so vet said put her on bute for 5 days. There was no heat walk is fine slightly uncomfy in trot. She did fall onto her knees a few weeks back so wonder if it was that. let me know if you find out anything. I am now worrying about nerve blocks as well :(
 
*Update* Vet has been today as horse still not 100% a LOT better but not right.

Result: it looks like he has pulled a muscle!

Physio booked for next week! Whoop, whoop! Will update after physio visit, as if it is not that then further investigation will be required but he is not lame enough to nerve block etc as it is only very slight! Fingers crossed for the magic physio :)
 
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