Lameness due to a shoulder injury

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Anna*

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Feeling a bit down and wondered if any of you had positive stories about this?!

My mare was slightly lame on a circle 100% on straight. The vet came and did all the usual lameness tests and believed she had either pulled a muscle in her shoulder or had an inflamed shoulder joint. Since then, she's been on field rest and danilon.

Went to try her again for the first time last night and, although not really lame, she just didn't feel 100%. I'm going to try trotting some circles today and have a friend watch and video so I can see if I'm feeling things that aren't there (post injury paranoia!) Vet is coming out to the yard next week and I'll get him to have another look anyway.

How long do shoulder injuries take to come right?

Would a physio visit be worthwhile or shall I wait to see what the vet says?

Am resigned to her needing more time off. OH said "it's winter soon - you won't have to ride in the cold!" I think he was trying to help! 😉
 
Shoulder injuries are unusual. Is your vet an equine vet?

A friend had similar. Eventually gets a lameness specialist. Turns out 99% of what looks like shoulder pain is actually in the foot
Xray found a deep seated abcess
 
soulfull said:
Shoulder injuries are unusual. Is your vet an equine vet?

A friend had similar. Eventually gets a lameness specialist. Turns out 99% of what looks like shoulder pain is actually in the foot
Xray found a deep seated abcess
Click to expand...

Yes, my vet is an equine vet. Wouldn't an abscess show up trotting up on a hard surface?
 
I agree with soulfull shoulder injuries are extremely rare and often "diagnosed" when there is no obvious cause for the lameness, treatment is rest and danilon so if you are lucky they get better whatever the problem is and the vet seems to have been correct in the diagnosis, I would always ask for a referral to a physio if the vet thinks the damage is muscular as they are so much better at getting to the root cause and doing appropriate treatment, rest is not usually enough alone and sometimes counter productive for muscle injuries.
 
We had a Section A who pulled a shoulder muscle, when she fell over a water bucket. We saw her do it , she was prescribed box rest and bute, (I think) and she was back to normal in about 3 weeks.
I know someone who got up one morning to find that her mare, in a field on her own, had broken her shoulder overnight. They never did work out what had happened but the mare was pts.
 
Personally I would get a physio involved at this stage if the vet says this is ok to do so.

She will be using a different type of muscle group in order to prevent pain to the shoulder area and could be overcompensating in other areas and this is something better sorted now before it becomes habit. I would also video like you suggested but show it to your vet. You need to show her on both reins, in walk and trot and also coming towards the camera in trot.

You often find yourself watching 'too much' when a horse has been injured and can start interpreting all sorts of things. I watched my friend ride my horse last night and it was amazing to watch him going through his paces and seeing how sound he looks and yet when I ride him I feel all sorts of things that are just in my head! Post injury paranoia - we ought to set up a facebook page Anna! :)
 
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