Lameness with no obvious cause

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kchgax

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Looking for some opinions/advice!
About 4-6 weeks ago I noticed my little show cob wasn't quite right infront, but I couldn't put my finger on why. He was trotted up by me infront of various people at the yard, no-one could see it (and these are all experienced horse owners!). So I carried on as usual, presuming it was just me being paranoid, turned him out etc.

Anyway, just before Christmas it was obvious he wasn't right this time. Trotted him up again and people agreed he wasn't right. Right fore. Farrier came out with hoof testers, found nothing - 'his feet are solid' (he is barefoot and has been all his life). He suggested it could be bruising somewhere deep within the foot. He's only 6, is in light work (as in goes on the horse walker, walked down the lane inhand, or lunged with tack/sat on max twice a week!)

So, I called the vets. They advised to keep him in with an hours turnout in our lunging pen every night. Did so..no improvement!
Vet came out today. 1/10 lame on right fore on the hard...intermittent on the soft. No obvious cause, cue me wanting to scream! Vet also thinks bruising within the foot as first port of call...but, not once has a 'professional' as in vet or farrier thought it to be an abscess...should I poltice it anyway, or have the farrier out again to have a dig around?

Must also state said pony can be an idiot in the field, jumps out, barges fencing down..but none of this recently really as we have kept him in a post and rail paddock with fencing as tall as him so I can only presume this is how he's done whatever injury it may be!
 
I had a similar issue with my girl, however it was a rear leg and in the end she had to go to the vets for scans and nerve blockimg. They traced it to her left hind hock via the nerve blocking but the scans didn't really show anything.

She is okay now (touch wood) - had to have a steriod injection. It's still a mystery as to what caused it.

Sorry, I don't have any advise but I certainly sympathise. Hope he improves soon.
 
I would have thought the vet would want to do a lameness work up, as if he is 1/10 lame that is enough to block from the foot up to see where the problem is. Then, once you have identified the problem area it can be X rayed and scanned.

I would have the farrier out, TBH I generally do this before the vet as it is cheaper, but if poulticing and farrier has no answers then I would not call the vet back out, but would instead book straight into vet hospital for a full work-up as above. I find that this is cheaper in the long run, as once you are there you will get an answer. They will trot up, nerve block from bottom to top on the affected leg, then X ray and scan. Then you will know what you are dealing with and be able to treat.
 
Red-1 said:
I would have thought the vet would want to do a lameness work up, as if he is 1/10 lame that is enough to block from the foot up to see where the problem is. Then, once you have identified the problem area it can be X rayed and scanned.

I would have the farrier out, TBH I generally do this before the vet as it is cheaper, but if poulticing and farrier has no answers then I would not call the vet back out, but would instead book straight into vet hospital for a full work-up as above. I find that this is cheaper in the long run, as once you are there you will get an answer. They will trot up, nerve block from bottom to top on the affected leg, then X ray and scan. Then you will know what you are dealing with and be able to treat.
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OP has had the farrier out :)

I think I would hot/cold tub the foot for a week to see if that makes any difference at all.

If that doesn't work I would do a bute trial for a week to ten days, then if no luck I think your Vet should do a more in depth lameness work up.

It's so frustrating when there isn't an obvious cause.
 
Can't hurt to tub and poltice it. It's usually my first default position on something that looks footy. It's been going on a while without getting catastrophicly worse to make me think it's an abscess though. Think I'd want a bute trial new followed by nerve blocks of no improvement.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for the replies! Sorry should of mentioned that the vet is out again in 3 weeks to re-assess, and if still lame he will be nerve blocked - but we are trying to avoid this as he's 6 with the mentality of a 2 year old that's had no handling (as he hasn't up until me, really!) so he's very snatchy with his legs (although a damn sight better than he was when I took him on!)..This made it even harder when the vet was prodding around to see if he reacted to pressure on certain areas, as he reacts to everything, so we can't rule anything out at the moment *sigh* thus this would also make nerveblocking him and challenge, and he's a traditional so I think I would cry if they had to shave all of his feather off - but needs must!

He's recommending box rest with only very light walking inhand to stretch his legs until he comes back out, but he seemed pretty confident he thought it would resolve itself. I think I will tub/poultice it for a week whilst he's in and see what happens. I have got it in my mind that it's definitely foot related, which is why I had the farrier out first. I think I will get onto him again and see if he will come back out to double check. Praying it's the bruising and nothing more! :(
 
In my experience if it was an abscess he would go from being sound to hoping lame over night! so I'd be asking the vet to do a work up if he's been off for the last few weeks!

My horse started out 1/10 lame in front, when they did a full work up they identified a bone spur in his coffin joint and pedal osteitis. and also that he had a bone spavin in his hock. I'm not saying that this is what your horse has! but I could have easily left it when it was only 1/10
 
Kezzabell2 said:
In my experience if it was an abscess he would go from being sound to hoping lame over night! so I'd be asking the vet to do a work up if he's been off for the last few weeks!

My horse started out 1/10 lame in front, when they did a full work up they identified a bone spur in his coffin joint and pedal osteitis. and also that he had a bone spavin in his hock. I'm not saying that this is what your horse has! but I could have easily left it when it was only 1/10
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Thanks, Kezzabell2. That was my thought - it seems to of gradually appeared, and gradually not got any better! Although saying that, my obsessive trotting him up probably hasn't helped. Oh, and he was tear arsing around the lunge pen every night. You'd of thought I would of got dramatically worse due to this if it was something more serious, such as a break/fracture etc. surely? I'm counting down the days to his check up in 3 weeks. Hoping we see some improvement!
 
kchgax said:
Thanks, Kezzabell2. That was my thought - it seems to of gradually appeared, and gradually not got any better! Although saying that, my obsessive trotting him up probably hasn't helped. Oh, and he was tear arsing around the lunge pen every night. You'd of thought I would of got dramatically worse due to this if it was something more serious, such as a break/fracture etc. surely? I'm counting down the days to his check up in 3 weeks. Hoping we see some improvement!
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bless ya, we always know when something isn't right with our kids!

do you have any bute? I'd be inclined to do a weeks bute trial! start him off on 2 a day and see if there is any improvement? if there is then you will know that it is something that needs to be investigated further!

I really hope you find out what the cause is!! my horse was only 4 when we found his issues, he is 6 in May and we are only now getting his work back up to a normal level! its been a hard year and a bit! but really pleased with him at the moment
 
One of mine is like this at the moment. Has happened a couple if times before and although no bruising is currently visible, the last couple of times it has happened the lameness has pretty much cleared up and then the next time the farrier comes and rasps the hoof walk we have been able to see the bruising showing through. No particular pressure reaction from mine with it on the soles, but sound on soft ground and noticeably off on harder rough ground. I would leave her (ideally off hard/stony ground if possible) until the vet next comes out. Might get the farrier just before the vet though to rasp and see if any bruising has become visible as it could save you a lot of investigation fees. My farrier said it happens more in winter as the wet fields soften the horn. I wouldn't want anyone digging for an abcess unless horse is really lame. Bruising could become an abcess but digging not going to help until there is significant pressure in there to relieve (and even then it is arguably more a pain relief tool than a treatment as they don't usually take long to find their own way out).
 
kchgax said:
Thanks, Kezzabell2. That was my thought - it seems to of gradually appeared, and gradually not got any better! Although saying that, my obsessive trotting him up probably hasn't helped. Oh, and he was tear arsing around the lunge pen every night. You'd of thought I would of got dramatically worse due to this if it was something more serious, such as a break/fracture etc. surely? I'm counting down the days to his check up in 3 weeks. Hoping we see some improvement!
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If that is his reaction to rest and small pen turnout I would defo have him to a vet hospital for a full workup. It could be such as a suspensory injury, which often has no heat/swelling, and can have quite a good prognosis if treated early enough. Tearing round each night when lame would mean that the prognosis would not be likely to be so favourable.
 
Red-1 said:
If that is his reaction to rest and small pen turnout I would defo have him to a vet hospital for a full workup. It could be such as a suspensory injury, which often has no heat/swelling, and can have quite a good prognosis if treated early enough. Tearing round each night when lame would mean that the prognosis would not be likely to be so favourable.
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I will certainly do so upon the vets advice, if that's what it comes to at his 3 week assessment. He hasn't got any worse since it became obvious, and this includes all the tear arsing around he has done during the penned turnout. Thus the box rest, to see if it corrects itself when 'managed'
 
I had this a few months ago. She had a full lameness work up and it was mild arthritis in her coffin joints. A steroid injection in each front joint and she's good to go for 6-12 months.
 
gnubee said:
One of mine is like this at the moment. Has happened a couple if times before and although no bruising is currently visible, the last couple of times it has happened the lameness has pretty much cleared up and then the next time the farrier comes and rasps the hoof walk we have been able to see the bruising showing through. No particular pressure reaction from mine with it on the soles, but sound on soft ground and noticeably off on harder rough ground. I would leave her (ideally off hard/stony ground if possible) until the vet next comes out. Might get the farrier just before the vet though to rasp and see if any bruising has become visible as it could save you a lot of investigation fees. My farrier said it happens more in winter as the wet fields soften the horn. I wouldn't want anyone digging for an abcess unless horse is really lame. Bruising could become an abcess but digging not going to help until there is significant pressure in there to relieve (and even then it is arguably more a pain relief tool than a treatment as they don't usually take long to find their own way out).
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This is reassuring! How long did it take for the lameness to clear up generally, and what measures did you take when she was lame? That's a good idea re the rasping, hadn't thought of that! Did you tub her foot or anything? I'm torn between just leaving it alone completely and trying to intervene
 
It could be a few things at this point! In the 3 weeks before reassessment I would get a physio to see him though.
 
I will have a chat to the physio I use and see what she says. I've got some Devils claw to use for the first week to take the pain away and try to prevent him from compensating any more...really don't want to have to go down the investigation route, not only will it cost £££ but he's not the easiest horse to deal with either! *sigh*
 
Tub and poultice will do no harm what so ever. Personally I wouldn't bute trial. I don't like the idea of it to be honest - I am of the school that wouldn't want to mask over whatever was making them lame so they become more idiotic because they feel great rather than take the edge off because they know it will be sore.

I would get your Farrier out again towards the end of the week after a few days of tubbing to see if anything has shown up. If not then I would nerve block the foot to rule it out. After that - who knows until it happens.
 
So a little update:
Vet came out on the 8th and found no cause (to recap) and recommended 3 weeks 'rest' not strictly box rest past the first week, but to not allow him to prance around/be an idiot.
Started administrating Devils Relief (NAF) on Sat.
Walked/trotted him up last night and he's pretty much sound...coincidence?
Going to continue to administer but slowly lessen the dosage and begin hand walking him each night shortly..he will be off the DR 2 weeks before the vet comes as apprantley it can take this long to wear off?!
Vet will be back out on the 5th - fingers crossed it's sorted by then else it's going to be a living nightmare nerveblocking him without him causing a ruckus!
 
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