lameness (probably in foot) - ideas?

K

Kelpie

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 March 2008
Messages
1,354
Location
Kent
Visit site
Would really appreciate some thoughts on this one.

One of our horses came in absolutely hopping in the front on Weds eve - and to be honest looked a little off behind too, but that could be because he had been standing awkward all day to compensate.

My first thought was abcess but odd as he specifically didn't want to put weight on the back of the foot. Had a poke around his foot as best I could (he's barefoot anyway - and normally rock-crunching) but nothing obvious. Tiny bit of puffiness above the fetlock joint. Kept him in overnight and gave him some bute, as he was very clearly in pain, poor lad.

So, vet out on Thursday but nothing really conclusive. Vet thought abcess - had a conservative scrape around but could find nothing obvious so didn't go digging. Horse was much better on the Thursday than on the Wednesday in terms of willingness to weight the foot. Nerve blocked the foot to confirm that the pain was in the foot rather than higher in the leg and more or less sound with the nerve block so probably foot. Still kept him in, with bute. Agreed with vet to see how he goes over the weekend and re-assess on Monday.

Today still sore :( .... though I'm not sure how much of a fraudster he is as let him have a little nibble of grass in-hand and somehow mooching out to the grass he was much sounder than when he was asked to go back into the stable (... horses!...)

Would welcome any thoughts?
 
My gelding was like this and we thought check ligament for a week or so as there was some swelling up his leg. In fact he had a small puncture and bruising on his heel, which took ages to come out and I wasn't looking hard enough initially to spot it.

I think now I would get the scrubbing brush out and srcupulously clean the foot, heel and all and check there is nothing you are missing, my boys wound wasn't apparent until after I poulticed. You have probs done this already. If not, have you discounted laminitis?
 
Bruised sole? My Sec D had this a few weeks ago on his nearside front and was hopping with it. He had a pad put under the shoe and was on three days of box rest with bute, took him a couple of weeks to come sound again and is in light work now.
 
Does sound like an abcess I would get a farrier to have a look, similar thing happend to a friend, the vet had booked her horse in to go for x rays the lot, I asked another vet that was on the yard the following day knew him well, he found the abcess straight away.
 
How old is the horse? It could be laminitis. My horse was ages before being diagnosed last December. I thought it was an abscess as only one foot, but nothing on the poultice after nearly a week. Vet thought she's pulled something as it was intermittent. Turned out to be cushings induced lami. She is struck down with it again at the moment, in the same foot. It does get better if you lead her out, so that would tie in with him getting a bit better after you have led him out to graze. Hope it's not lami though.
 
Thanx for your thoughts.

Gave the foot a good scrub but no obvious injuries.... Marginally better today though so maybe I can hope it is just bruising?

Didn't know u can get lami on just one foot? Horse is 8. Tho if lame surely he would want to weight the heel?

Farrier out next week...
 
Suggest that you get your farrier ouot ASAP as it does sound like he has an abscess.

I never have the vet search for an abscess as they usually are hopeless at finding them. Mst farriers wil come straight out to a horse in distress.

In the meantime, poultice the life out of the foot and hopefull draw the infection out.

An easy and cheap poultice boot below.

Poulticeboot.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top