Lame with no swelling or heat .....?

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Beatrice5

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Also in Vetinary but no answers yet.

7 yr old only been lightly hacked past few months as returning to work after foal. Rode last monday - fine in walk but felt stiff in trot so got off and walked her home.

Spent 24hours in turned out next morning trotted off fine. Fine all week lots of mad moments all well.

Today came in for farrier and again lame in same hock .

Reluctant to weight bear and has just been lying down which she rarely does.

Farrier been today and he can't spot anything and thinks she may just have tweeked something hooning around in field.

Changing positions when asked to stand looking very uncomfortable now walking about grazing quietly but I am worried sick.

Twice lame in same leg exactly one week apart - this time worse than before. Spoke to vet and he said keep an eye but suggested Arthritus.

What else could cause lameness with no swelling or heat? What is a Spavin may she have one fo those? If it was Arthritus wouldn't she be permanently slightly lame ? Possible causes greatly welcomed so I can know what to look for etc.
 
Was the beginning of ringbone when mine had similar symptoms at a very similar age. Five years down the line, he's still enjoying himself out on hacks. I don't school or jump him, but he's not on bute, just on a high spec joint supplement.
Fingers crossed that he's just tweaked something.
 
My horse has done her suspensory ligament in recently but the vet thought she had bone spavin initially. I would give her a week off to see if she has just tweeked something, if there is no improvement then i'd have a vet out or take her in for scans. If there is an improvement after a week, i'd walk out in hand for a few times and then ride her if she is still ok. I tend to give mine a week or two off before calling the vet unless its urgent to save call out fees as unless its obvious they tend to say 'give her a week off' so i do it then call them if need be x

My scans on the one hind leg cost £120 if that helps too x Scan and xrays (£60 a picture) are very useful and will help to resolve the problem, but i'd go for a week off initially x
 
If a horse has arthritis they don't have to be constantly lame, my horse was on/ off lame for well over a year with no heat or swelling. It slowly became more prolonged and regular and she was then diagnosed with arthritis. Even after that she was not always lame, sometimes when she did too much she would be quite stiff in the morning but would then loosen up.
Remember cold, damp weather also aggravates the condition so maybe compare the weather on the two days she was lame. :)
 
So how did they diagnose it? What course of treatment did he have and how do you manage it now?

Just Googled Hock spavins too :(

Everything was going so well now I am feeling a tad glum :(

Horses hey - Love them just too much for our own good !
 
Thank you so much for your replies.

I always think the worst but actually it sounds like it needent cost me thousands and maybe even if it was Arthritus etc it's not the end of the road.

I shall give her another week off and keep a close eye on her. I am reluctant to give her bute in case it encourages her to fly about again and do any more damage but she does look unhappy standing waiting if that makes sense but better / okay mooching around grazing.
 
I would encourage her to move - you are doing the right thing turning her out !

I would also pop her onto a broud spectrum joint powder - just a basis MSM and glucosamine maybe. people really rate tumeric too
 
Will pop to feed merchants tomorrow and see if I can get some Glucosamine etc anyone recommended?

Have tumeric in the spice cupboard but guess my small spice pot won't go too far ;)
 
If it is arthritis, glucosamine won't do much especially if fed on its own plus there is a growing feeling amongst vets that it is not that effective either. As for the lameness, I've just got my 8 year old back from Horspital with a similar lameness no swelling/heat/pain on palpatation, upon investigation he has problems in both his hind suspensories and a bone spavin. Bone spavin is not the end of the world and a lot of horses have them with no probs. Mine meant that he only showed lameness on the near hind after blocking the hock and suspensory he was then lame on the off hind.
I'd say give her a week and if she is still lame, then get the vet to scan/do nerve blocks. I am glad I did it. Mine was only lame intermittently in the school, fine to hack out and in field etc.
 
Is your chap insured? Unfortunately I let her insurance go after having her filly as she wasn't doing anything and haven't re done it.

I do have BHS gold for public liability hacking out thankfully. But nothing to cover huge vets fees so am bracing myself for some big bills :(

Poor girl looks quite uncomfortable tonight but still nothing to see / feel :(
 
Beatrice5 said:
Is your chap insured? Unfortunately I let her insurance go after having her filly as she wasn't doing anything and haven't re done it.

I do have BHS gold for public liability hacking out thankfully. But nothing to cover huge vets fees so am bracing myself for some big bills :(

Poor girl looks quite uncomfortable tonight but still nothing to see / feel :(
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Oh dear, well if it suspensories then there are cheaper alibeit less effective options - lameness work up I have no idea how much it cost as yet but yes I am insured so not worried. Last time I had one done - about two years ago (different horse) - it was around £300, plus £400 for steroid injection and shock wave. This time I suspect it'll be nearer £3k as he had a bilarteral neurectomy.
 
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