Osteo OR Physio

[Tin Hat]

Evening everyone
Long story short........... ponio is lame behind however i am unable to exactly pin point the lameness, at a guess would say lumbar/sacro-illiac region.
I obviously need to get him treated but how do i decide whether to go for a physio or osteopath, if i am unsure whether it is soft tissue related or malalignment of bone

He has been lame on and off for past 10 months with treatment by osteo, however with never having this many problems with him in the 10yrs i have owned him i am questioning whether the treatment by the osteo is doing any good or just putting him at ease for a few months before the problems re-surfaces.

So opinions please, what would you do in my shoes?? have the Osteo again (prob the 5/6th time in under a year) or approach from another angle/get a second opinon?

cherry scones with jam and clotted cream for all

 

[glenruby]

I'd get the vet and get a proper work up and diagnosis. As you have said, you cannot decide on treatment without knowing what is wrong and neither osteo nor physio are able to diagnose your horse ( legally!) so best get your vet to diagnose and plan treatment.

 

[be positive]

I'd get the vet and get a proper work up and diagnosis. As you have said, you cannot decide on treatment without knowing what is wrong and neither osteo nor physio are able to diagnose your horse ( legally!) so best get your vet to diagnose and plan treatment.

Most good therapists would have referred your horse back to your vet by now as it is not responding to treatment given so far.
My physio will not keep coming back without the horse being seen by a vet if the horse keeps going lame, there will most likely be an underlying issue that needs veterinary treatment.

 

[velocette]

Most good therapists would have referred your horse back to your vet by now as it is not responding to treatment given so far.
My physio will not keep coming back without the horse being seen by a vet if the horse keeps going lame, there will most likely be an underlying issue that needs veterinary treatment.

I agree, if this has been ongoing for 10 months with treatments from osteo then you really need to try and get a diagnosis from the vet to help inform treatment choices. Also you can't fix a problem just by 'realigning' bones, there will always be secondary/or primary soft tissue changes to be addressed and you will need advice on exercises to stretch and strengthen muscles and improve movement patterns. This will help prevent the problem from coming back again and again.

good luck.