Lameness ideas

[poiuytrewq]

My older horse is now 20/21 so not really elderly and as far as I know had a really easy life.
I bought him at 14. He failed a betting on a hind flexion. I can’t remember which side.
Went on to compete, hunt and do everything required with no problems.
He’s had a few problems over the past few years- I’ve posted here about him before, not really soundness related.
This summer he felt stiff behind and we decided to inject his hocks which helped. At no point was he lame.
He was also a little off on his off fore.
I retired him at this point.
He was fine turned out and I took him out in hand from time to time, his usual jolly bouncy self.
Then I noticed a few weeks ago he was a bit stiff in front stepping out of his stable after a day stood in (he’s in by day out at night. I can’t do 24/7 to do this gives the max time)
Two days after he was noticeably lame off hind. It loosened up walking but he wasn’t happy and rested it all the time, he could weight bare. There’s nothing to see, no heat no swelling. He reacts to it being touched from the stifle to hoof so not particularly helpful.
Vet came, said he was in fact sore all round, worst being that hind but after flexing all legs decided def both hinds and near fore (oddly) but also sore off fore.
During this work up he was very reluctant to trot, this is a horse that’s super easy to trot up, say the word he’s off like a rocket. I never have to try.
So she said he presented as a very old arthritic all round horse, but due to the fact he’d been pinging round In hand on the roads sound just 3/4 days previously and was a complete idiot in the field we hoped maybe he’d slipped and fallen or something.
He had a shot of bute and continued on it for a week, much happier, sound when I stopped for about a week, bit less, then it came back, just mildly.
We decided to go with longer on the bute, same scenario. Then I went to get him in Saturday am and instead of coming to the gate he stood and called back, then came stiffly, same Sunday am.
He’s also grouchy with the others, ears back pulling faces but rooted to the spot in the field. I gave more bute and again he’s perked up.
Obviously need to speak to the vet again. She wants to come out and run full bloods.
He’s been tested for cushings a few times and EMS all clear, this vet is a newer one but said he doesn’t come across as metabolic to her.
Any ideas? I don’t know if perhaps we this is the start of him really aging, maybe time for a daily bute?
Realistically I’d do the full xrays etc if it were isolated to one area or we could pin point something but all 4 legs will cost a bomb.
I absolutely can’t face loosing 3 special ones in a year so any ideas gratefully received.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Rooted to the spot, stiff all round - laminitis all round?

 

[ester]

So the last time he was ok until after the bute stopped?
From your descriptions Frank was less lame/sore when we opted to keep him on bute long term, he just wasn't himself so obviously in some discomfort somewhere and passed flexion on his dodgy hock otherwise I'd have had that injected again.
The mare is younger (22ish?) she goes through periods where she gets it daily for a couple of weeks then will be fine for a while again.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Rooted to the spot, stiff all round - laminitis all round?

We don’t think so, it’s obviously worse on flexing.
Never and heat or pulses and it makes no difference if he’s in, on the yard loose or out. (Unless shut in a stable not moving)
Vet and farrier say not laminitic

 

[poiuytrewq]

So the last time he was ok until after the bute stopped?
From your descriptions Frank was less lame/sore when we opted to keep him on bute long term, he just wasn't himself so obviously in some discomfort somewhere and passed flexion on his dodgy hock otherwise I'd have had that injected again.
The mare is younger (22ish?) she goes through periods where she gets it daily for a couple of weeks then will be fine for a while again.

Yes, he’s totally back to himself on the bute.
I’m just a bit thrown as was the vet by the fact all 4 legs got so sore so quickly if it is arthritis. I’m happy to keep him on bute if needed, just a bit gutted at the sudden decline.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Annoyingly however I turn them out, ie. him first, together or him an hour later it’s him that starts the playing and ends up hooning round like a fool

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Annoyingly however I turn them out, ie. him first, together or him an hour later it’s him that starts the playing and ends up hooning round like a fool

In that case surely it would be better to keep him out 24/7. Don't you keep your horses at home? I would put him on long term bute if that seems to work for him. When we had one on long-term bute we used to give her a break from it every few months as it seemed to make her tired. I might also try him with magnetic leg wraps, IME they work for some horses, not for others.

 

[ester]

You could keep him on it for a bit longer now and then see about trying without again down the line.

 

[ihatework]

He'd be on long term bute if he were mine and if he reached the creaky point on bute then I'd say fairwell

 

[AmyMay]

Could it be as simple as arthritis? Although to be fair a horse in their 20’s is an old horse, and it could just be time catching up with him.

 

[SEL]

Could he have had a fall? My arthritic one fell in the field at speed and could barely move for a week - horrible to watch. I'd seen the fall so luckily knew what had home on. High levels of bute and see how he got on was vets advice at the time.

 

[holeymoley]

It sounds like arthritis. If he’s been stood in, are his legs filling? That can make them a bit short too. But yeah I’d say it sounds like arthritis.

 

[poiuytrewq]

@Pearlsasinger that would be my ideal yes, we are kind of at home. We have a house on a farm that my partner manages and the horses live here too. So I get to make my own decisions to a degree, I’m lucky enough to guarantee turnout 365 days a year but I’m obliged to stick to some rules.
I am looking at ideas to keep him more “out” maybe fencing the bit of yard outside his stable so he had a pig pen type set up, or we are in the process of redoing a all weather turnout area which turned to mulch and is currently useless but might be able to leave him out there as it’s adjacent to the yard so he’d have company.

@SEL that was the original idea, maybe it could still be but I thought he’d be better by now ?‍
Yes it probably is arthritis, as I say I’ve known he’s not been 100% hence the jock injections and retirement (this was also for other reasons)
It just seems strange to me that it’s so sudden and all legs.
We are going to continue with bute, maybe over winter for now, I will of course call it a day if he shows any sign of discomfort on it.
Magnetic boots sadly do nothing other than really annoy him! He’s never been a fan of anything on his legs. He chews and pulls them off or they just slip, tried lots of brands.
He actually trotted over to me this morning looking really good having had no bute yesterday. Then marched into his stable so was pleased with that but cautiously as we have been there a few times recently

 

[Cortez]

A horse in its 20's is an old horse. Cold and damp tends to accentuate arthritis, so it's not really surprising that it looks like a sudden onset. If he's better out (and that's usual with arthritis), then is there any way you can leave him out all the time?

 

[Annagain]

With Archie, even though we've known he's had it, and managed it for years it was like someone flicked a switch and he suddenly couldn't cope with ridden work. I think it just builds and builds and all of a sudden (or so it appears) there's a point at which they can't cope any more. The final straw is just that one extra straw,

He's been great since he's stopped working and isn't on any danilon at all now but he's out 24/7 and he can't be over the winter (and I wouldn't dream of moving him away from his friends of 15 years and me at the age of 25 so that he can be) so if he doesn't cope with being in overnight (I'll happily give him danilon if needs be) we have a bridge to consider crossing.

 

[Leandy]

The vet is best placed to advise on the lameness issues. I just came along to say that 20/21 IS an elderly horse!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I know he’s old, I’m not disputing that. I’m just shocked at the suddenness of it.
literally the one day I took him for a wander down to the village and we/I jogged back up the hill with him having bit of a squeal and bounce alongside, a lady stopped to comment how well he was looking (horse owner and groom) then 3 days later this.
I am trying to have him out as much as possible without p’ing the land owner off.