lame horse

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emilymachin

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my mare has been lame for about two months now. we’ve had the vet out and the next step is to go up leahurst on the 24th of july to get a full work up such as scans and nerve blocks.

over her time off she has improved quite a lot and people have been telling me that she looks much better, even my vet has said so, and a few people have said to me if it were them they’d cancel leahurst leave her on rest for the summer ( about 6 more weeks) and if she’s not better by then, then take her up to leahurst.

now i’m torn on what to do as if waiting a little longer does work then that would save my horse loads of stress however if it doesn’t work then i feel like i will have wasted 6 more weeks so i’m torn.

basically i’m very indecisive and i’d appreciate opinions. thanks
 
If you had some idea why she was lame then continuing to rest might be the best option but it sounds as if no tests have been done to even give a vague diagnosis, I can never understand why some local vets don't seem to perform even the basic blocks/ xrays or scans to at least start the process and rule in or out a few more simple/ obvious things.
After 2 months I would want to know what is going on as the clock is ticking if they are insured and even if not rest may not be best for whatever is wrong, if you leave another 6 weeks and she is sound she may go lame once back in work and you will be even further behind.
 
be positive said:
If you had some idea why she was lame then continuing to rest might be the best option but it sounds as if no tests have been done to even give a vague diagnosis, I can never understand why some local vets don't seem to perform even the basic blocks/ xrays or scans to at least start the process and rule in or out a few more simple/ obvious things.
After 2 months I would want to know what is going on as the clock is ticking if they are insured and even if not rest may not be best for whatever is wrong, if you leave another 6 weeks and she is sound she may go lame once back in work and you will be even further behind.
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thank you, i’ll deffo be raki g her in :) the reason she’s not already had blocks or x rays is because she doesn’t let people she doesn’t know anywhere near her legs and obviously she can’t be sedated for it.
 
so long as she still lame enough to nerve block I would take her. How do leahurst propose to block given the above?
 
If mine I would take as if been lame for 2 months already then won’t take much to make lame again.My other consideration would also be if you are going through Insurance-If you are - by keep leaving it you may end up not being able to claim much if nearing end of the time from onset.I was in same position with a mare I had and tried turning away for the summer-was fine for about 2 weeks back into Light Exercise and went lame again.If you have an appointment I would take it.Good Luck.
 
I would want some answers at this stage incase it’s something that needs intervention now and has a narrow window of opportunity to get it as right as possible. The answer/ an option may still be to turn away for 6 months or whatever, but at least you’ll be able to make a more informed choice then.
 
fusspot said:
If mine I would take as if been lame for 2 months already then won’t take much to make lame again.My other consideration would also be if you are going through Insurance-If you are - by keep leaving it you may end up not being able to claim much if nearing end of the time from onset.I was in same position with a mare I had and tried turning away for the summer-was fine for about 2 weeks back into Light Exercise and went lame again.If you have an appointment I would take it.Good Luck.
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thank you, i’m deffo taking her up now :)
 
ester said:
so long as she still lame enough to nerve block I would take her. How do leahurst propose to block given the above?
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apparently they have some thing they can put her in where she literally can’t move, it won’t be nice for her but whatever it takes. also they’ll have a whole team of people there
 
Mine was “lame” for a good couple of months before I sent her to leahurst. Vet thought she looked better and even suggested I get back on - I didn’t as I couldn’t, despite the all clear twice on the lameness locator, move away from my view she was off on the left hind. We rested, treated with robaxin, physio etc. She was diagnosed with a medial branch injury - left hind. Simple suspensory scan after a positive block. This was after a full bone scan - she had the works! She’s now doing very well with rehab. I will listen to my instincts sooner next time.
 
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emilymachin said:
apparently they have some thing they can put her in where she literally can’t move, it won’t be nice for her but whatever it takes. also they’ll have a whole team of people there
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Yes they are called Stocks. Made of strong steel. Open at the bottom to permit joint injections, but low enough so that the horse can't kick the vet.
 
emilymachin said:
thank for the reply’s, she currently at leahurst and has had a gamma scan ext, at the moment they suspect arthritis on her left hind, they’ll be doing another scan on monday to confirm and then onwards from there :) thank you all
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Sounds like a fairly good chance of a return to work not too long away if all goes to plan. There's quite a bit they can do with bone spavin these days (if the arthritis is in her hock). That's good news then.
 
They can sedate to block .
My horse had to be after a day of blocking he had had enough so had to have the last ones after some sedation .
 
Bone spavin in is not the death sentence it was in the past there are lots of effective ways to manage the issue .
I have had several older horses who did well working with managed spavins
 
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