Long time no see, now need help!

[PollyB]

Hello,

I havent been on the forum for over a year and was previously known as 'Heys' i havent checked yet to see if i recognise anyone yet but will do so after i have written this post.

I really need people's help on an issue that is concerning me a lot. Bailey, my six/seven year old Clydesdale displayed slight lameness back in the summer, i was travelling at the time and so my friend called out the vet who prescribed a short course of bute. It was suspected laminitis but i was never convinced this was the case. Then two weeks ago B and i tacked up to go for a hack, when i mounted i felt he had become really sluggish under me when i asked him to trot he was reluctant but did so in the end then dramatically dropped his head. I brought him straight back did the relevant checks etc however a week later when i took him out to see how he was he was just the same.

The vet came to see him on Tuesday and was superb with B, the pronblem is Bailey gave NOTHING away, yep he was lame in trot but showed no signs of pain anywhere. I described the symptoms to him, sluggishness, lameness in trot, nodding head, stumbling and spoke about my fears that it could be Navicular, however the vet said he very much doubted this and after a full inspection believed the problem to be related with his entire right side rather than his leg.

I have to ring the vet up on Monday as we are probably going for nerve blocks first, then x-ray. I'm just really worried about him and wondered if anyone had similar experiences, head bobbing, stumbling etc i know its a long shot, its just i love every bit of this horse and would be truly gutted if i couldn't stop whatever is hurting him.

Apologies for long essay!

 

[ru-fi-do]

Hi,
I've been going through a similar thing with my girl, for the past couple of month she's just not 'been right', she isn't hopping lame but stiff on her hind leg. I had chiro out that did some work on her and she seemed to go through a faze of being ok then the stiffness started again she was also becomming very dull in herself. I had the vet out and she said she was definately lame on the lunge and a flexion test shown this also. There had been no obvious injury apart from a kick on her hock bone that happened 14months ago so we decided to take her in. They wasn't sure where the lameness was coming from but decided to start at the hock due to the 'old kick'. Low and behold once she was nerve blocked she moved like a different horse, so then she had scans and x rays that showed the fiberus(sp) tissue that had formed was aggrevating the ligaments.
I would personally get him in for the nerve blocks, x rays and scan so you find out where the problem is and start treating it ASAP. I had lots of things going through my mind and at one point she may have navicular as she was slightly stumbling and alway stood with one toe pointed but now we know that this is because she was compensating for the pain in her other leg. She is going back in a month.
Hope this is of some help to you and fingers crossed, keep us updated. x

 

[PollyB]

Thankyou, reassuring to hear that someone else has been through something very similar. I will be in touch with the vet first thing Monday and he has already said that nerve blocks etc will be the first thing we do.

If you dont mind me asking how come your mare has been away for so long? Did the insurance company kick up a fuss about how much it all has cost, i have never claimed before and i am so nervous that they wont pay out!!

Thank you again for responding to my post. I hope your mare is happy and healthy again soon!

 

[Jemayni]

I have been through this with my horse this summer. He wasnt right from about may time, but there wasnt anything enough to actually say he was lame, he was just pottery, short in the stride and kept stumbling. By July he had got worse and was actually lame, so got the vet out , horse was nerve blocked but he was still only a tiny bit lame so the vet couldnt really see enough to diagnose. He then had a months box rest, came out absolutly crippled to the right. So took him to the vets, who did nerve blocks, when he blocked out on the right, he then when very lame on the left. The reason why he had been shuffly and reluctant for such a long period was because he was lame on both front legs and couldnt decide which one hurt more, so wasnt really lame! He was lame in his right fetlock, vet believed it to be concussion, so he was given remedial shoeing. Horse finally came sound on the right leg in about October, but was still lame in the left leg. Went back to the vets for more nerve blocks and found out his left fore lameness was in the foot, from damaged cartilage, that was treated and last week he went to his first SJ comp in nine months (just to let you know there is a light at the end of the tunnell somewhere.)

If this is any reassurance my horse is a 6yo too, remember the ground was very hard, and it had a bad effect on a lot of horses. Also my horse had suspected navicular, then suspected arthiritus - he had nothing like that, he is now sound and well!

Hope that made some sense

 

[ru-fi-do]

She hasn't been away hun, she went into the vets Tuesday just gone and only stayed the day, sorry must have been the way i put it but has been lame on and off since early December. My insurance company have been fine. Her liver enzymes are also raised too and she may have to go in to have that investigated further to. She is only 7 also. As long as you imform your insurance and keep them updated they should be fine. I have £5000 limit per claim on my policy. Who are you with if you don't mind me asking. x

 

[PollyB]

Oh sorry, i must have read it too fast. I'm with NFU. I have heard positive things about them so dont doubt they will pay out. Have been on the phone to the vet again tonight, got about two weeks to wait then we will trailer him over to the hospital and have nerve blocks done. Now the great job over clipping his thick feathers off...he hates being clipped at the best of times. Wish me luck. Thanks to the both of you for responding to my post. Will keep you informed.

Becky xx

 

[ru-fi-do]

Good luck hun, keep us informed, fingers crossed for you, that will be about the same time my girl goes back in!