My elderly horse is very lame, advice please?

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RockyNutmeg

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Rocky's my first horse and I've had him almost 10 years and in all the years I've owned him and known him before he's never been lame. He's a 22 year old 14hh cob.

As he's my first horse I've never dealt with lameness before, he's very obviously lame in walk in his left hind and as far as I can tell there's no obvious reason for it. The only thing I've noticed is he's in pain when I run my hand over his stifle area. He hasn't been ridden in a few weeks so it's not an obvious ridden injury.

We have the vet coming out tomorrow but for the time being I'm not sure what would be best for him..

He's out all the time but has access to a stable with rubber matting, would you recommend I leave him out? (he's on about an acre at the moment and seems happy grazing despite his lameness.)
Otherwise I can put him in a much smaller paddock or stable him.
I was googling and saw some information about cold washing the legs and am considering taking a bit of feather off to have a better look at legs.
Any advice on what I could do before the vet comes tomorrow? Or any idea what it could be?
 
Could you not get the vet today? I wouldn't want to leave my horses in pain longer than absolutely necessary. Any advice on what to do would be risky at this point as there simply is not enough information as to what would be best. He really needs expert help now.

Edited to add: 22 is not old. Especially not for a cob. They can stay in ridden work (if sound obviously) for several more years yet.
 
Unfortunately I couldn't get a vet out today but I'm going to have a much more experienced horse owner come out and look at him as soon as she can.
 
In the longer term you might want to look to changing your vet. (Assuming you are in the UK?) No animal should be left to suffer because a vet can't reach them the same day. In the mean time you might be better to confine him in case the lameness arises from a break.
 
if it is a sudden ondset of acute lameness I would suspect abcess could you get your farrier out today ?I am surprised the vet won't come out today to a very lame horse.
 
I'd leave him out,
If he has no outward signs of any injury or swelling then it is quite likely an abscess.

And no, I won't be telling my 23yo he is elderly! :eek3:
 
RockyNutmeg said:
Update: Vet has been and couldn't find anything wrong. He has been put on bute for 10 days. Likely to be arthritis or pulled muscle.
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Ehmmmm........... are you happy with this? I'd want either a firmer diagnosis than this OR further investigations instigated. "Arthritis" OR "pulled muscle"?? OK so which muscle, where, how caused etc etc.

"Arthritis", OK so where situated, any investigations etc etc.

Seems like you've called a vet out for nothing and will be charged for it, obviously, but he/she has told you sweet FA!! You are no wiser as to what is actually the problem with your cob. Bute has its uses, but if there IS serious injury then it will only mask the symptoms and nothing else.

I would ditch this vet and get a second opinion from a vet who is more interested in their client. I think this is appalling.

Change vets PDQ would be my choice.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Ehmmmm........... are you happy with this? I'd want either a firmer diagnosis than this OR further investigations instigated. "Arthritis" OR "pulled muscle"?? OK so which muscle, where, how caused etc etc.

"Arthritis", OK so where situated, any investigations etc etc.

Seems like you've called a vet out for nothing and will be charged for it, obviously, but he/she has told you sweet FA!! You are no wiser as to what is actually the problem with your cob. Bute has its uses, but if there IS serious injury then it will only mask the symptoms and nothing else.

I would ditch this vet and get a second opinion from a vet who is more interested in their client. I think this is appalling.

Change vets PDQ would be my choice.
Click to expand...

I agree .Did he use hoof testers? did he ask for a farriers opinion (usually much stronger on foot than vets ) .Both my dad and grandad always said with lameness's that had no obvious cause eliminate foot first.I wouldn't be happy with that at all You could have 'guessed that yourself!)I would want a much firmer diagnosis than that and a plan of action as well.
 
My horse was dog lame on Sunday, and is almost sound now. Cold hosed the tendon as it was up and poulticed due changing amounts of lameness.

Farrier came and said likely abscess has already burst, no digging required and to leave the shoe on, and surely enough puss today in poultice!

Always worth getting the farrier out.

I would also be refusing to pay that bill (call out and examination, I would pay for bute) and switching vets!!
 
Im quite happy with my vet. She checked his feet to rule out an abcess, with tools and said there was no pulse found.
We both agreed it's a higher up problem, most likely muscle or ligament.
He was tested for flexion and was fine, he's improved already and only lame in trot today.
My vets are free call out and know my horse and his on going liver and skin conditions, he's been with them since before I've owned him so I wouldn't change.
He's due his feet trimming this week so I will have a second opinion from my farrier but I don't think there's any rush.

I'm quite happy to monitor him for now and further prod if he doesn't continue to improve.
 
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