BBP
Well-Known Member
I thought I would do a little update here as its always helpful when you are trawling vet related threads if there is some sort of answer to the question posed.
So to all those who said suspensories, ding ding ding, you are the winner!
Typical for BBP, he went to the vets fit as a fiddle and full of himself. Trotted up beautifully, not even a toe drag really on the concrete (perhaps wearing hind hoof boots the last few weeks has encouraged more lift behind?). Slight positive flexion to right hind fetlock but not enough to nerve block anywhere, so that answered that quandry (him not being good to block). Palpated sore over his back, especially over last rib origins, but not particularly over his sacroiliac.
Lunged beautifully on the soft, moving really really well for him, even cantered really well, but the toe drag and fetlock drop was a bit easier to see. They let him off to have a roll so they could see him getting up, and of course he got up pretty easily too. As I say, typical BBP.
They ran the neurological tests and he was absolutely fine - in fact vet nurse said he gave the best rein back response she has ever had
, they didn't x-ray neck as they said they have no suspicion at all of it being a nerve compression issue.
We scanned hind suspensories anyway and sure enough, right hind has chronic PSD. We think the back pain is all soft tissue postural from the sore hind end. We did x-ray it just to be sure and the vet said his x-rays were beautiful, enough space to drive a car between the spinous processes! The left hind fetlock is dropping more as he is shifting more weight across to it. No sign of damage to the left ligament, but perhaps a conformational weakness and element of hyper-mobility that is at the core of his reoccurring problems.
Many of you will have far more PSD experience than I do, and will be aware that chronic PSD does not have a good prognosis, but the plan to date is to see what we can do to minimise any pain (shock wave, mesotherapy for back pain, boswellia and a good joint supplement), get his posture improved (use of hoof boots to encourage heel and deep digital cushion development, massage and osteopathic treatment, classical in hand straightness work.) And just see how we get on. I have no goal for him to be a ridden horse again but will give him every chance to be a happy herd member until he is a bonkers old man. So that's his story to date. Still waiting for blood test results for muscle enzymes, vitamin e, selenium and liver.
Thanks very much for all the input previously.
So to all those who said suspensories, ding ding ding, you are the winner!
Typical for BBP, he went to the vets fit as a fiddle and full of himself. Trotted up beautifully, not even a toe drag really on the concrete (perhaps wearing hind hoof boots the last few weeks has encouraged more lift behind?). Slight positive flexion to right hind fetlock but not enough to nerve block anywhere, so that answered that quandry (him not being good to block). Palpated sore over his back, especially over last rib origins, but not particularly over his sacroiliac.
Lunged beautifully on the soft, moving really really well for him, even cantered really well, but the toe drag and fetlock drop was a bit easier to see. They let him off to have a roll so they could see him getting up, and of course he got up pretty easily too. As I say, typical BBP.
They ran the neurological tests and he was absolutely fine - in fact vet nurse said he gave the best rein back response she has ever had
, they didn't x-ray neck as they said they have no suspicion at all of it being a nerve compression issue. We scanned hind suspensories anyway and sure enough, right hind has chronic PSD. We think the back pain is all soft tissue postural from the sore hind end. We did x-ray it just to be sure and the vet said his x-rays were beautiful, enough space to drive a car between the spinous processes! The left hind fetlock is dropping more as he is shifting more weight across to it. No sign of damage to the left ligament, but perhaps a conformational weakness and element of hyper-mobility that is at the core of his reoccurring problems.
Many of you will have far more PSD experience than I do, and will be aware that chronic PSD does not have a good prognosis, but the plan to date is to see what we can do to minimise any pain (shock wave, mesotherapy for back pain, boswellia and a good joint supplement), get his posture improved (use of hoof boots to encourage heel and deep digital cushion development, massage and osteopathic treatment, classical in hand straightness work.) And just see how we get on. I have no goal for him to be a ridden horse again but will give him every chance to be a happy herd member until he is a bonkers old man. So that's his story to date. Still waiting for blood test results for muscle enzymes, vitamin e, selenium and liver.
Thanks very much for all the input previously.
