Lameness 2 weeks on - please help/advice??

milesjess

milesjess

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*Long post alert - sorry*

Basically 2 weeks ago I trotted my boy up on hard surface. His left rear hind leg was lame quite badly. There's no swelling or heat from it. In his stable he was constantly shifting his weight, being restless and struggles to lift his legs for long.

He's 15.3hh, 12 yr sport horse. I'm not aware of prev injuries and I've not done much with him. He was fully shod but approx 3/4 months ago I had his back shoes removed as he has good feet and wasn't doing road work.

Anyway, I had the vet out the day after. She checked his legs and found a pulse. She said his hoof wall was bruised and quite soft and it appeared something had gone through his hoof wall... She tried to cut it out but didnt manage to. So a weeks bute, poultice and box rest later he's not much sounder... I couldn't and still can't see the hole though!

So another call to the vet who said the following -
1. Another weeks box rest.
2. Have the farrier out to take a look and she suggested shoeing him on backs and putting a padding between the shoe and hoof.
3. It could be arthritis, mild lami (which she said it weren't at the time - he's fine weight wise and a good doer)
4. Consider x-rays.

So the farrier was due out today but cancelled he's now coming Monday.

We got him out today (nearly 2 weeks on from initial visit by vet) on hard surface for a trot up, he's still lame but slightly better, bearing in mind he's now off the bute all together as the vet only gave a week supply and offered no more.

Later on in the day I put him in the outdoor to re-check him which is a soft, rubber ground. He trotted up sound. He's only been out to trot up by the way and has been on strict box rest. He's walking fine on soft/ hard surface, it's more in the trot when he adds more weight that its obvious.

Now I'm confused as I thought it might not been the hoof at all as nothing came out of the poultice, there's no heat, he's struggling to lift all four legs for long. So I thought it might be his pelvis or something else. He is shifting his weight less and seems to stand more comfortably in his stable.

So I'm having the farrier out Monday, then based on his response I'll ask the vet to visit Tuesday but a different vet for a second opinion and possibly send him for x-rays.

Any thoughts?? Sorry it's so long winded... I'm at my wits end worrying, having taken a professional's advice and feel like we are no further to gettin him better and feel let down by his vet. Do you think abcess? A friend saw him today and said perhaps it is the hoof as he was sound on the soft surface and not on the hard which wouldn't be the case if it was his joint/pelvis etc...

Thanks :)

(Also in vet section!)
 
I would suggest that if your farrier cannot find anything then you need to ask your vet to do a proper lameness assessment which could lead to nerveblocks/xrays. From what you've said I wouldn't be too impressed with your vet's actions so far.
 
It could still be an abscess, hopefully the farrier will find one on monday because they are easily fixable. :)

With my mare, she was on/off lame, then got lamer. Two vets and one farrier found nothing, nothing on a poultice and she passed the 'hoof testers' test. She was then about to be sent off for x-rays when out popped an abscess through an old nail hole.
 
Faracat said:
It could still be an abscess, hopefully the farrier will find one on monday because they are easily fixable. :)

With my mare, she was on/off lame, then got lamer. Two vets and one farrier found nothing, nothing on a poultice and she passed the 'hoof testers' test. She was then about to be sent off for x-rays when out popped an abscess through an old nail hole.
Click to expand...

Is it just a case of drawing it out as best as you can? Did she have heat in the hoof? I was thinking an abscess but unsure.
 
I looked at his legs/ back and didn't see any swelling or get a reaction from him.

But I've just viewed a video of a horse with a stifle injury and it moves similar to him! I'll have someone take a look today and raise that with the vet. Thanks.
 
i also agree about foot.

My mare was lame through her pelvis and you could see no difference between hard and soft ground.

My boy is in a simialr place at the minute...hes sound in the field but lame on hard ground. He ripped a bit of his foot off along with his shoe and had his foot filled, but still isnt right on it, my vet said it was bruising and to just monitor him for a few weeks. If bo improvement call them out again.

I was always told if you lunge on hard ground and their lame on the "leg" nearest to you, then its in the foot. If its on the outside its in the shoulder?

Or something along them lines???
 
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