Lame since April. Vets stuck! ideas?help?!

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graliz

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Horse started going short (off fore) first week in April, called Vet who came out and said 7 days boxrest. No improvement. Vet back, bring down to practice for nerve blocks,thinks its the foot tho' only heat and swelling at onset in fetlock. At surgery nerve blocked foot..still lame. Nerve blocked pastern ..vet thought bit better so xrayed foot and pastern. Nothing to see so 5 days Danilon and turnout to keep mobile. Still lame.Back down to surgery exactly the same procedure despite me asking to go higher and xray/ultrasound fetlock etc. Vet said leave 4 weeks on turnout ,he still thought foot..still lame actually worse. Phoned horses previous owners who had him 3 years with no problems and clear vet records (passed 5 stage vetting when I bought him) and they said try their vets for 2nd opinion as 3 months with no diagnosis not great. Phoned our vet who said he'd like to come and see horse again before referring. He came out and did 4 sets of blocks up to bottom of knee..still lame. Asked me to take horse back to surgery for final block on the next Monday. Took horse again and Vet asked for him to be left there for day and then phoned and said horse had blocked sound to top of knee and said steroid (HY-50) and HA joint med on 15th July into knee joint.2 days in and 10 days off then see how he is. Still lame, not hopping but he never has been, just noticeably not right. Sooooooo we've gone from foot to knee as being the issue but still lame, probably well over £1000 to vet and £210 to physio and no diagnosis...lame horse and gutted self and daughter!! Vet back from holiday next week and I'm going to try to push for 2nd opinion again. Have you any ideas/advice/experiences as am at wits end!!!
 
My horse has been lame since april on his near hind. He is almost sound in walk, and for a couple of months we just hoped it was a strain the would go away, there has never been any heat or swelling in it. Horse is now booked in to go for bone scanning at a nearby vets, think they inject/feed with something radioactive and see where it shows up hot spots. I had a guy out with a thermal imaging camera (not strictly scientific!) who was unable to find anything.
I think they may also do an ultrasound before they do the scans, but not sure - don't know if either of these things might help? I am at a loss with my lameness too, never had anything like this before :(
 
I know a couple of horses who have presented like this recently and it has been put down to being unbalanced in the feet/bad farrier - just a thought?? xx
 
Sorry to hear you have problems too. I think its worse when you just can't see what has caused it or pinpoint where it is...maybe this scintigraphy(?) you are having will get you a diagnosis.

Thanks aimeetb Our vet and farrier also put our horse in heartbars as could have been a balance issue.... but 8 weeks on..still lame.........xx
 
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Could it possibly be a deep thrush? Not saying your foot hygiene is lacking at all, but my boy was the same and one day the frog split which released the gunk inside. (He was neglected in his prevous home). Now 100% sound.
Hope this is of some help?
ETA Neither vet or farrier found it
 
Have you tried an osteopath? Having had similar problems in the past I found a really good one and always try him before vet now in fact I'll get him out even if no actual lameness but being stressy or not feeling quite right and every single time there's been something in need of work and all okay afterwards. May be worth a try.
 
Hi Amymay

No, they haven't scanned so far and yes the knee was xrayed the last time he was there and again there is apparently nothing to see. I had suggested MRI but here in Scotland I am told they can only do standing to the knee and each "section" is between £600-£1,100 which I would do if I was reasonably certain which section was the problem!!!!

Its so frustrating and the horse had won at BS KBIS Novice level last year, very consistently and has a gr8 temperament, just perfect for my daughter moving up from her 14.2 PC pony. She and the horse are being brave so far!

Thanksxxxxxxxx
 
Sov-n-Dom said:
Could it possibly be a deep thrush? Not saying your foot hygiene is lacking at all, but my boy was the same and one day the frog split which released the gunk inside. (He was neglected in his prevous home). Now 100% sound.
Hope this is of some help?
ETA Neither vet or farrier found it
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Hi
I had "hoped" at first it might be something straightforward but its been going on so long and he is shod every 6 weeks and the farrier is really well thought of and says his feet are good...I use effol and Hoofheal and the feet outwardly are super..just the leg not working properly!!!!!!!!!! Sigh xx
 
i would be asking for a referral to somewhere like Rossdales, newmarket equine centre for a full lameness work up and am surprised your vet hasnt suggested this.

one of my mares went lame in feb and local equine vet couldnt diagnose after nerve blocks,x rays and 2 weeks rest advised referral.
took a week of investigations at newmarket that my vets couldnt have done to make diagnosis and after a long slow period of rehab we are making progress.
Whatever is wrong is now becoming more of a chronic problem. i would push for a referral..
 
debsflo said:
i would be asking for a referral to somewhere like Rossdales, newmarket equine centre for a full lameness work up and am surprised your vet hasnt suggested this.

one of my mares went lame in feb and local equine vet couldnt diagnose after nerve blocks,x rays and 2 weeks rest advised referral.
took a week of investigations at newmarket that my vets couldnt have done to make diagnosis and after a long slow period of rehab we are making progress.
Whatever is wrong is now becoming more of a chronic problem. i would push for a referral..
Click to expand...
Thanks..I do think I need another view, As we're in Scotland I think my options are probably Clyde Valley Vet Group who I am told have a very good reputation for lameness issues or Glasgow Vet School or for MRI Edinburgh Vet School so when our Vet gets back from holiday I'll get him to do the referral as he has all the records and xrays and my completed insurance stuff xxxxxxxxxxx
 
Has your horses muscle structure been checked all over to ensure 'evenness'?

My mare had mild lameness eventually diagnosed as coming from the suspensory ligaments in her front legs.

Final prognosis was that she may suffer slight on and off lameness for the rest of her life, would only ever be a light hack for my mother :(

At the same time we were having fitting probs with our saddle going sideways, after finally sacking off our old saddler who kept saying to change the girth a new saddler pointed out her back muscles on her right hand side were less built up than on her left side, above her previously broken off side foreleg.

Although this saddler improved the fit we still had sliding saddle issues so eventually with some research we booked a Wow saddle fitting.

Long story short(ish) she's had her Wow since last Sept, not a hint of lameness since, her back is now completely even thanks to being able to use it much more freely, she's been learning to jump for the first time at age 18 and loving it and can complete a 15 mile sponsored ride in under 2.5 hours, and our dressage marks have improved at long last! :)
 
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yes im sure there must be a good referral vetsnearby.

Mine needed x rays,nerve blocks,ultrasound then bone scan as it was eventually found to be her stifle.

even with a weeks admission it didnt cost much more than youve already spent.

i have since been back twice for review and would definatley get referrred again for anything remotley suspect..
 
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