Lame - when to take to vet?

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Delta99

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My boy went lame 5 days ago with no obvious signs on the leg. He's sound on a straight line but lame when the leg is on the inside of the circle.
Gave bute for 3 days and he was sound on that but now that he's come off it he's slightly lame again but not as bad as he was initially.

He is prone to abcesses but has never been lame with one before (I only know of them when the farrier mentions them) and I guess with an abcess he would be lame all the time, right?

The day he went lame, there were a lot of hoofprints on his friend in the field so the 2 of them had obviously had a bit of an argument.

So, do I give him bute a bit longer in the hope that he's just badly bruised something and take him to the vets next week if it's not better?

Or do I take him asap in case it's something more serious? (my fear is that he won't show any lameness as it's so slight now...)

Not sure if there's any point in having a vet come out to me as there are no obvious signs (and they are about 1 1/2 hrs away...)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Why not ring the surgery for advise. I would be cautious about giving bute if I did not know what was wrong.
 
I'd ring too, I tend to worry as if there are no obvious signs you just dont know whats going on, it will more than likely be fine but definately worth the call.

Hope its all ok xxx
 
I would ring the vet also. I have an elderly horse and he has started going lame occasionally with no apparent reason. I have had the vet out and also phoned them for advice, and the general consensus is that if I can;t see a reason - ie no wound, heat or swelling, then I up his bute (he has one a day anyway for arthritis) for a week.

Saying that, if the horse was not old, I would want to know what was wrong as it could be somethign more serious.

Any of mine that have abcesses have been chronically hopping lame.
 
To be honest I'd never give a lame horse Bute before it was seen by a vet... Pain is the body's way of protecting a damaged area, it's stops you using it and perhaps making things worse.

I think after 5 days it's worth speaking to your vet.
 
Increased lameness on the inside of a circle is definately lameness in the foot - I'd be inclined to have the farrier look over the foot.

I would also be poulticing the foot to soften the horn to allow the abscess (which I'm sure is the problem) to work it's way downwards. Put the poultice on the sole of the foot - not higher.
 
Evelyn said:
Increased lameness on the inside of a circle is definately lameness in the foot - I'd be inclined to have the farrier look over the foot.

I would also be poulticing the foot to soften the horn to allow the abscess (which I'm sure is the problem) to work it's way downwards. Put the poultice on the sole of the foot - not higher.
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I agree with this.

I would call the farrier to have a look although farriers are not always able to tell.
Poultice the foot and see if that works or even soaking the foot in epsom salts.
It sounds like an abcess if he is sound on a straight but increased lamesness on the inside of the circle...

but if you are really worried, call the vet and ask for advice.
 
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