Oh no :( - should I write him off or is there hope??

[Loubiepoo]

Horse has been lame on left fore - in trot and only on a circle for 2 weeks now, no improvement. Seemed a fairly sudden onset to me after being shod (farrier came back and checked, everything ok with shoes) so vet has nerve blocked and done Xrays. First nerve block showed lameness stemmed from foot, Xrays have shown fuzzy edge down lower front area of coffin bone (prob low ringbone) and navicular bone also looked quite vascular. He is 7

We do gentle hacking and dressage. Anyone any experince of these things?? I lost my first horse to colic 18months ago and can't believe my bad luck now

 

[Alibear]

What treatments have the vet advised? Both a relatively common problems with lots of options for treatment. I definitely wouldn't be writing off yet.
Also don't worry you are not alone there are lots of us who have had several horses with health issues despite doing all the pre-purchase vet checks.
Good luck and I hope your lad comes sound again soon.

 

[brucea]

absolutely not - go and see if you can talk to Nic Barker at Rockley Farm and she can show you plenty of evidence that these horses can be rehabilitated.

Step 1 - get the shoes off and let those hooves flex and be free of the concussion - and get him on a supportive surface if you can - that means a non muddy surface if possible with soem cushioning - pea gravel would be ideal - just not mud, not stones, not concrete!!

2 weeks is a short time withthose changes - have had this with one of my own horses and he has come sound - but it takes a few months.

Do him a favour - get the shoes off.

 

[brightmount]

^^^^ Ditto everything SMID says, and if you can get a registered DAEP (equine podiatrist) so much the better.

 

[Loubiepoo]

No treatments yet cause vet coming back next week to do more nerve blocks to isolate coffin from navicular to see if its just one (or both) causing the problem. Asked vet about remedial shoeing, taking shoes off etc and they just said to hang fire until we have done more nerve blocks next week.

SMID - do you mean that this amount of change in 2 weeks is quite progressive, i.e the disease is progressing quickly?

 

[harrihjc]

Don't write him off yet, 2 weeks isn't very long, think positive and keep fingers crossed. I know how you feel, my 7yr old has been lame for 6 months now

 

[chestnut cob]

Talk to your vet about Adequan - have seen it used to treat articular ringbone with success, and my vet says it's good for any degenerative arthiritic conditions (and ringbone is another type of arthiritis). Also I believe IRAP can be used?

Also talk to your vet and farrier about remedial shoeing - ask your vet to send the x-rays to your farrier. Talk to them about lateral extensions for support...

 

[landyandy]

don't write him off at all, my mare was diagnosed with ringbone at the age of 6, only a happy hacker now, but she is still been rode at 19 with no lameness,also another horse i know as navicular,and is still been rode at the age of 25.

 

[canteron]

Nooooo. 2 weeks is nothing. My own personal view is be a little bit shy of letting the vet do too much investigation until you have given the horse time.

Box rest for 2/3 weeks, or as near as you can get to it (don't let the horse run around too much) in the short term and see what happens- you can also bute if you like so that the horse doesn't get in the 'habit' of being lame and also deal with any inflamation and give it a chance to heal.

Whatever the problem rest (and patience) is the only thing that may possibly resolve it so I would try it first before going the whole nerve blocking/MRI scan route. If say after 3 weeks of box rest there is no improvement at all, then you know you are dealing with a more complex problem.

Agree with taking the shoes off if the horse is going to be on soft ground ..... and talk to your farrier. In my view, farriers tend to see the whole lameness thing from beginning to end and have a much more rounded view than vets.

 

[Brummyrat]

my section d went lame about 7 yrs ago now, slight ringbone and sidebone was diagnosed and i thought my world had fallen apart, i have a no nonsense vet who gave me a verbal slap round the face and it worked, he's 19 now, has pads in front and a bute every 2/3 days and he's like a 5 yr old 2 ride, we work a medium level dressage and jump occasionally, im careful obviously, dont ride on hard ground etc but he rides like a happy healthy sound horse so please please dont be despondent x

 

[cptrayes]

Ditto SMID. Get the shoes off, they are probably what caused it!

 

[Echo Bravo]

Youv'e had some really good advice from people that have been through it all. 2 weeks is a blink of an eye.