Mystery lameness- (seen by vet and farrier) Long, sorry.

[skint1]

TLDR version:

Horse is lame, front left, particularly on a circle, no swelling or heat in the limb, appears not to be related to an abscess or bruise in hoof. Has anyone experienced anything like this with their horse?

Long version:

Last Friday my horse and I started off on a hack but after going only a short way he began to limp. I dismounted and we walked home. The vet was coming that evening to do his annual vaccinations so I asked her to examine him.

There was no swelling, no heat in hoof, no raised digital pulse. The vet removed his shoe and dug around and there wasn't much reaction from my horse, though she said she could feel some tenderness in one part of his hoof so she made a fairly large hole along the edge of the foot and we poulticed it and he was prescribed bute for the next few days.

Next morning there was loads of black, smelly pus but a lot of heat in the hoof so I kept poulticing and giving bute but had no further pus from the exit hole and the heat in his hoof has subsided. There has been some improvement, but he is still lame, particularly when turning a circle.

He's turned out in a small area as he has arthritis of the hocks and last year we discovered mild changes to the coffin joint of that particular foot so trying to avoid box rest.

I touched base with vet on Monday and she said not to worry too much, keep wet poulticing and giving bute and to wait til farrier examined him (which happened this morning) and then tell her how it went.

Farrier examined him today and said he didn't think it was related to his hoof and if he had an abscess at all there is no reason to think there is anything further to come out.

My vet and I are due to speak in the morning and then she'll decide when to come see him again. Has anyone else's horse experienced something like this? I'd really welcome some advice on the kind of questions I should be asking other than "What is wrong and what can I do to help him?"

 

[Charlie007]

Sorry to hear your horse is lame. I can't really help much but my horse had an abcess earlier this year. We thought we had got it all and he came sound for a day then lame again the following day. More puss erupted!! In all it took about 3 weeks for him to come sound, he is a flat footed tb though!! I hope you get it sorted soon x

 

[FfionWinnie]

So if I am understanding it right he's had an abscess dug out about a week ago and is still lame? Sounds pretty simple to me, stone bruise caused abscess, hole now causing soreness. I didn't think Bute was a good idea with abscesses? I wouldn't panic yet although I know it's difficult not to!

My horse also has a stone bruise at the moment. Mildly lame. No reaction to hoof testers. Comes and goes. I'm poulticing it and hoping it bogs off soon. I don't like having holes dug in their hooves personally.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Bute is the last thing an abcess needs.

 

[skint1]

Thanks everyone for reading/responding. I am getting into a panic I guess, my farrier and vet aren't overly concerned, it's just me jumping to all sorts of conclusions.

I didn't know that Bute was a bad idea for abscesses, that's a bit worrying as the vet gave it to me.

 

[Dynamo]

If no better soon, I'd be investigating the coffin joint if I were you as you already know there's an underlying issue there. Speaking from experience, the abscess could be a red herring.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Bute is the last thing an abcess needs.

Not suggesting u r wrong but may i ask why? If a horse is uncomfortable surely bute is the obvious solution in a small dose?if digging a hole in a foot to release pus or a haematoma gives instant relief thats great but the horse will still be in discomfort to a degree won't it due to the digging around?sure my horse has been prescribed bute b4 now after abcess problem.many years ago now so cant really remember.

 

[skint1]

If no better soon, I'd be investigating the coffin joint if I were you as you already know there's an underlying issue there. Speaking from experience, the abscess could be a red herring.

This is one of my worries for him.

 

[Auslander]

Assuming you wet poulticed with Animalintex - the black gunk you found on the poultice is unlikely to be pus (pus isn't black!) The active ingredient in animalintex draws dirt and bacteria out of the area it is in contact with, cooks it overnight, and creates a smelly black mess. I'd be inclined to look higher up.

 

[milliepops]

^^wot she said. I'm afraid when my mare did a check ligament there was no heat or swelling just intermittent low grade lameness. Took a good while to spot on the scan. Just mentioning as I wouldn't rule out a soft tissue injury from your description. Good luck.

Oh and Bute/abscesses: I thought the problem was as an anti inflammatory it reduces the bodies natural reaction which helps to expel the infection. You need the inflammatory response to clear it basically.

 

[skint1]

Auslander- I did use animalintex, and that is exactly what my farrier said too.

Milliepops, that is the kind of thing I was thinking, that or ddft injury, that kind of thing

 

[Auslander]

Auslander- I did use animalintex, and that is exactly what my farrier said too.

I'm pretty sure that it's part of the reason it's so popular - because you always get a "result" with it ;-)

I used to make students poultice a perfectly healthy, clean foot - just to make them aware of the animalintex effect!

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Oh and Bute/abscesses: I thought the problem was as an anti inflammatory it reduces the bodies natural reaction which helps to expel the infection. You need the inflammatory response to clear it basically.

Oh thanks Milliepops.I believe a lot of people use iodine and sugar in a thick consistency as sugar draws and dries and the iodine fights any nasties.a lot of clients of my vet use the same treatment x

 

[Goldenstar]

If no better soon, I'd be investigating the coffin joint if I were you as you already know there's an underlying issue there. Speaking from experience, the abscess could be a red herring.

Yes that was my thought .
On the circle is he lamer when the affected leg is on the inside or the out side ?

 

[skint1]

I'm pretty sure that it's part of the reason it's so popular - because you always get a "result" with it ;-)

I used to make students poultice a perfectly healthy, clean foot - just to make them aware of the animalintex effect!

I have to say when my mare had a run of abscesses I switched from animalintex to magnesium sulphate paste, it was much more effective in her case.

Yes that was my thought .
On the circle is he lamer when the affected leg is on the inside or the out side ?

When it's on the inside he is more lame. He seems to walk best in a straight line, best on a flat, smooth surface.

He's less lame today than he has been, but still lame. On Friday vet said to give him a bit more time before panicking. Due another catch up with vet tomorrow.

 

[JillA]

Oh and Bute/abscesses: I thought the problem was as an anti inflammatory it reduces the bodies natural reaction which helps to expel the infection. You need the inflammatory response to clear it basically.

It is an anti inflammatory and it is the inflammation in a constricted space that makes a foot abscess so painful. Inflammation results from a lot of white blood cells reacting to infection, but the inflammation is them as waste after they have done their job of neutralising bacteria etc....or pus. The best answer is to provide an exit route for them as pus, but failing that anti inflammatories will provide the reduction.
I would say it is positively cruel to withhold pain relief (aka anti inflammatories) from a horse with that sort of condition. I have dealt with numerous abscesses and always poultice, obtained drainage where possible and administered bute in the form of Danilon. The relief is obvious, and allows for the horse to move more to get the blood supply to heal the area.
Where does that come from?

 

[Orangehorse]

When your horse is sweating and holding its foot in the air, then not to give bute would be unkind at best and even cruel, but some horses are more stoic than others and will limp round outside until the abscess bursts.

Is there a pain killer that is not anti inflammatory?

My horse had an abscess, was very distressed, vet gave bute and the abscess rumbled on for 6 weeks, with the infection tracking round underneath the sole (Which needed an X ray) so I have seen both sides.

For the OP, I think start to look higher up, as suggested, if it doesn't get better soon.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Thanks everyone for reading/responding. I am getting into a panic I guess, my farrier and vet aren't overly concerned, it's just me jumping to all sorts of conclusions.

I didn't know that Bute was a bad idea for abscesses, that's a bit worrying as the vet gave it to me.

My vet gave me bute for an abscess, too! I did question the wisdom at the time. I hadn't called the vet to the lameness, she was there to do a Cushing's test. The abscess lasted on and off for about 10 weeks. Farrier was convinced it had an environmental cause (wet weather) vet was talking about xrays in case of a bone chip. Farrier was right, Prascend made such a difference and farrier now says that her feet are the best he has ever seen them.

 

[frankster]

Blimey - this is something I have learnt tonight! Certainly cannot recall this being commented by any vet/farrier I've known..... struck dumb by my ignorance!

 

[skint1]

what, the bute thing? It was news to me too, but I'd find it hard not to give it to a horse suffering an abscess, it has never interfered with any of mine who had an abscess (I had 2 that had spates of them)

Unfortunately, my horse doesn't seem to have an abscess, or my farrier doesn't seem to think so, and I can't think he'd be wrong. He's more comfortable than he was, but he's still lame, I am really getting worried about what it could be, vet coming to see him again tomorrow.

 

[skint1]

Ok, so I have been obsessively feeling my horse's lower legs and feet since this lameness began, but admittedly concentrating more on the lower leg and hooves. This morning I *think* I feel a slight heat/swelling to the area behind his knee on his lame leg. I did a comparison with his other leg, and the leg of another horse on the yard too, but I am probably beyond able to make sane judgements at this stage.

Could this have happened to him on the Friday after his shoe was re-fitted? He was apparently bucking and farting round the sick paddock having joined in with his neighbour's alarm at some low flying vintage aircraft.

When I pick out his feet he's reluctant to give me his good front foot or the back foot that's diagonal to the lame foot. He seems happy enough in himself, he's clearly uncomfortable.

Anyway, vet is coming tomorrow afternoon now, I think they will have to do scans or xrays.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Ok, so I have been obsessively feeling my horse's lower legs and feet since this lameness began, but admittedly concentrating more on the lower leg and hooves. This morning I *think* I feel a slight heat/swelling to the area behind his knee on his lame leg. I did a comparison with his other leg, and the leg of another horse on the yard too, but I am probably beyond able to make sane judgements at this stage.

Could this have happened to him on the Friday after his shoe was re-fitted? He was apparently bucking and farting round the sick paddock having joined in with his neighbour's alarm at some low flying vintage aircraft.

When I pick out his feet he's reluctant to give me his good front foot or the back foot that's diagonal to the lame foot. He seems happy enough in himself, he's clearly uncomfortable.

Anyway, vet is coming tomorrow afternoon now, I think they will have to do scans or xrays.

Sounds like it might be a check ligament.Ice, rest and anti inflammatories. Normally six to eight weeks off. Good luck with the vet

 

[skint1]

Thanks hopscotch bandit, poor lad. I don't mind how long he needs to have off, we're just happy hackers, I just want him to be himself again. I just hope that I've not balls'd it up so badly by thinking it's the wrong thing that he can't recover

 

[Lanky Loll]

OP for peace of mind get it scanned. Depending on which local vets you're using they should be able to do onsite. My lovely girl was intermittently lame for a while, very little heat to be found, x-rayed, poulticed, different shoes/pads all sorts and then it was the ddft in the hoof which we didn't find until we scanned her and kicked ourselves that we hadn't done it sooner.

 

[skint1]

Thanks Lankylol. Today the vet did a nerve block and did identify that it's the foot, she said that the heat I felt was probably raised veins around about his knee but that could be in response to inflammation elsewhere (don't quote me!). Next step is scan on Friday. He is more or less sound now in a walk but lame trotted up (without the nerve block)