Novice owner looking for advice on lamness

[brooksan]

Please excuse the long winded post you may be about to read.

I have a 13hh 11 year old fell pony.
She started showing some lameness in her right for with some swelling around the tendon below the fetlock.

Vet was called. We did a week box rest a week of restricted turn out with Bute. She improved and looked sound. And the swelling was much improved so she got turned out.

Two days after turn out she came in very lame. Swelling back on the right but she seemed to be more uncomfortable on her left front which previously seemed ok. She had been spotted having a silly 5 mins in the field.

I'm suspecting my issue is two fold. Possible metabolic issues and laminitis and then something going on with the tendon.

Could the tendon actually be a secondary effect of her compensating from the possible lami.

Vet is out this afternoon to do bloods on her for metabolic issues.

What would you all do next?
Ultrasound the right leg?
X-rays?
Or do I seem completely off the mark.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Red-1]

I would certainly scan the tendon where the swelling is/was, especially as it has presented with the lameness.

If you suspect lami also, then yes I would X ray and blood test for cushings and EMS. However, if the lameness coincides with the leg swelling than I would probably just do the scan to start with, unless there is something else other than the lameness that makes you suspect it.

If the pony is overweight, that would be an immediate place to start. Does the pony have fat deposits on neck/shoulder/bum?

 

[brooksan]

I would certainly scan the tendon where the swelling is/was, especially as it has presented with the lameness.

If you suspect lami also, then yes I would X ray and blood test for cushings and EMS. However, if the lameness coincides with the leg swelling than I would probably just do the scan to start with, unless there is something else other than the lameness that makes you suspect it.

If the pony is overweight, that would be an immediate place to start. Does the pony have fat deposits on neck/shoulder/bum?

Thank you for your response.
Yes sorry I wasn't very clear about why I suspect lami also.

She is overweight, it is reducing as I am now strip grazing her but I would say she has been overweight for at least 3 years.

She has a small amount of crest. Holds fat on her shoulders and also has fat above her eyes were the orbital bone is usually concave it is filled in.

Sounds like I should go ahead and book the scans ? also and just get the ball rolling on all counts X X X