flying_high
Well-Known Member
Mystery left hind foot lameness – any insights
Horse which blocked to 3/10 lameness left hind foot (not main foot bones) at vet college in February 2018
Nothing showed up on x-ray, foot , scans or MRI to explain lameness. Conclusion was field injury, soft tissue not bad enough to show on MRI, rest, slow return to work over 3 months.
Same horse 1/10 lame on and off through 2018. We thought was an inherent weakness following on from using the leg post injury, and worked on cross training and strengthening.
December 2018 - Horse lost back muscle, and poor performance. 3 mild impinging spines on x-ray and bone scan. Nothing else on bone scan. Nerve blocking spine dramatic improvement. Injected spine with steroids, and extensive back strengthening rehabilitation. (Horse was 1/10 lame blocking to LH at this point, not investigated, scoped and no sign of historic ulcers returning).
I think LH lameness largely disappeared for next 6 months.
Horse has continued to show variable performance, intermittent napping, back and muscle soreness and is now back to 3/10 lame left hind, blocks to foot below fetlock.
Not sure where to go, horse isn’t insured, and I have spent last two years trying to get horse right. We’ve gold standard done teeth, diet, saddles, grass levels, back, chiro, sports massage, physio, foot balance. I can ride, and lunge and long rein to a reasonable standard, but there is something not right.
Vet suggests repeating all the previous LH diagnostics and seeing if something now shows up. But agrees may all not show anything. Sounds painful with the amount of debt I have and the issues not covered by insurance any more.
I think I have been chasing secondary symptoms – napping, saddle fit, sore back, sore muscles, over last 6 months, without finding the primary source of pain, when has now worsened again to being visible.
On the basis I wasn’t keen on immediate further diagnostics, the vet has prescribed a week of bute, 3 days off bute, week of slow limited hacking, re-assess.
I am a bit stumped, and very overdrawn!
Horse which blocked to 3/10 lameness left hind foot (not main foot bones) at vet college in February 2018
Nothing showed up on x-ray, foot , scans or MRI to explain lameness. Conclusion was field injury, soft tissue not bad enough to show on MRI, rest, slow return to work over 3 months.
Same horse 1/10 lame on and off through 2018. We thought was an inherent weakness following on from using the leg post injury, and worked on cross training and strengthening.
December 2018 - Horse lost back muscle, and poor performance. 3 mild impinging spines on x-ray and bone scan. Nothing else on bone scan. Nerve blocking spine dramatic improvement. Injected spine with steroids, and extensive back strengthening rehabilitation. (Horse was 1/10 lame blocking to LH at this point, not investigated, scoped and no sign of historic ulcers returning).
I think LH lameness largely disappeared for next 6 months.
Horse has continued to show variable performance, intermittent napping, back and muscle soreness and is now back to 3/10 lame left hind, blocks to foot below fetlock.
Not sure where to go, horse isn’t insured, and I have spent last two years trying to get horse right. We’ve gold standard done teeth, diet, saddles, grass levels, back, chiro, sports massage, physio, foot balance. I can ride, and lunge and long rein to a reasonable standard, but there is something not right.
Vet suggests repeating all the previous LH diagnostics and seeing if something now shows up. But agrees may all not show anything. Sounds painful with the amount of debt I have and the issues not covered by insurance any more.
I think I have been chasing secondary symptoms – napping, saddle fit, sore back, sore muscles, over last 6 months, without finding the primary source of pain, when has now worsened again to being visible.
On the basis I wasn’t keen on immediate further diagnostics, the vet has prescribed a week of bute, 3 days off bute, week of slow limited hacking, re-assess.
I am a bit stumped, and very overdrawn!