Lameness on the opposite leg after abscess

Sprogladite01

Sprogladite01

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My 6 year old mare has had an abscess in her left fore recently - no surprises given how wet it's been. All had been going well and after 2 weeks (mostly due to the fact everything was frozen) we popped her on the lunge to assess her paces and see how she was getting on.

Now, she is very...exuberant shall we say after some time off so she had a jolly good time flying around initially. Once she'd calmed down, she looked great. All good. Until right at the very end (after about 10 mins) she trotted round a corner and looked lame for a few strides, but on the right fore? Lameness stopped once she was round the corner but appeared again when she went round the corner again (same corner, she was fine in the other 3 corners) and again only for a few strides. At that point I stopped her and bought her in because I don't want her whizzing if she's done herself an injury.

No heat or swelling in the right fore, left fore looks good after her abscess - just a bit stumped. I'm just wondering if:

a) she has injured herself having a hooley
b) she's strained something in her right fore by compensating during her abscess
c) it's something else entirely
d) I'm panicking for no reason lol

I've given her the day off today and will have another look tomorrow (mad day at work today). HORSES. Why do we do it to ourselves??
 
meleeka

meleeka

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Hopefully nothing to worry about, but wanted to make you aware of the possibility of laminitis in the good leg.
Without wishing to worry you unduly, I’ll share my experience. My big mare had an abscess that dragged on. When it was x-rayed the vet suspected an infected pedal bone We aggressively treated with antibiotics and all was good until she went lame in the other leg. She wasn’t even hugely lame and I did think it was another abscess brewing. I kept her in anyway and when there was no change, I got the vet to x-ray that foot. She had severe rotation of the pedal bone, so was PTS that day. All that started from an abscess in the other leg that had burst out of the coronary band :(

If she were mine I’d reassess and call the vet tomorrow if no better.
 
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Sprogladite01

Sprogladite01

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meleeka said:
Hopefully nothing to worry about, but wanted to make you aware of the possibility of laminitis in the good leg.
Without wishing to worry you unduly, I’ll share my experience. My big mare had an abscess that dragged on. When it was x-rayed the vet suspected an infected pedal bone We aggressively treated with antibiotics and all was good until she went lame in the other leg. She wasn’t even hugely lame and I did think it was another abscess brewing. I kept her in anyway and when there was no change, I got the vet to x-ray that foot. She had severe rotation of the pedal bone, so was PTS that day. All that started from an abscess in the other leg that had burst out of the coronary band :(

If she were mine I’d reassess and call the vet tomorrow if no better.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'm so sorry for your loss. Hopefully it's not lami but I'm keeping a very close eye on her at the moment (luckily she's kept at home so I can pop out to see her between meetings).

OrangeAndLemon said:
I'd be thinking second abscess in the other foot which has been taking more burden than usual.

The other option would be muscle tightness or soreness from limping with the initial abscess, or from the hoolying.
Click to expand...

Hopefully just something minor from the hoolying...I have everything crossed. She's quite happy mooching about on the yard today and doesn't seem reluctant to move, which hopefully is a good sign 🤞
 
Sprogladite01

Sprogladite01

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Pleased to report we popped her on the lunge again today and she looks fabulous. No sign of lameness and full of beans - clearly ready to get back to work. Think my instructor can have a few rides on the fresh baby horse before I get back on... 🤣
 
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