Pedal Oestitis

[Murphs_Mum]

My friend who shares my field has a horse (aged 6) who was diagnosed with the above and side bone in June last year. Has since had three months box rest, remedial farriery, various very expensive treatments MRI's at vets and is still not sound. Has anyone had any experience of this and what was the outcome. Vets are very uncommittal and just keep wanting to try new and very very expensive treatments!

 

[kerrylou123]

my first pony had this, but he was old, therefore was pts, wasn't worth spending lots of money on treatment for an old man, and wasn't fair on him either. Still have his xrays somewhere, and it looks really painful, as if his pedal bone was about to poke out of his little feet bless him (poor dapple). The vet thought it was a very interesting case, and kept the foot.

 

[puddicat]

Pedal osteitis is traditionally the term used to refer the condition "I haven't a clue what's wrong with your horse but I'm pretty damn sure it's in the foot". Hence all the expensive diagnostic treatments and the uncommittal vet. Depending on your vet's personality unsolvale lamenesses are either the most exciting thing that happens in the day or just a pain in the bum - looks like your friend has got the vet who lives for the chance of cracking a really difficult lameness. The outlook is not I'm afraid, if its got as far as MRI and they still haven't worked out what wrong with it, its probably going to be hopping around for a while yet. Meanwhile somewhere in the country as everyone else sleeps a vet is reading his/her old text books late into the night trying to find that key piece of information that will crack the riddle of the unsolved lameness...

 

[Fiona]

My 5yo TB has been diagnosed with this (due to a field injury) from her x-rays which show a roughening on the front of the pedal bone and on one of the wings. This diagnosis was not made "as vet couldn't think of anything else", it was plain to see on the x-rays. As your horse has had MRI as well, this presumably was to rule out soft tissue involvement.
My vet seems more laid back about it, has not suggested any treatment other than rest really.
What does your vet want to try and why?

Fiona

 

[hotheaded]

If it is oestitis it will be 100% confirmed on an x ray, so if you havn't already had one done get one done. Don't be afraid to go to a different vet for a second opinion. For pedal oestitis you have done everything you can do so far. It sounds to me like there is something else going on. Get the x ray done to be sure that it is this problem

 

[puddicat]

Hmmm interesting....

There is a pattern to your posts. First, you say throw-away statementws that anyone with common sense could say but you say them it as if you're saying something special with authority. Second, you get the detail wrong suggesting that you have no genuine depth of knowledge.

The problem in this paticular post, you missunderstand the meaning of the diagnosis 'pedal osteitis' and say a lot of things abot osteitis that could be worked out by anyone. The point is about PO is that it IS an indeterminate diagnosis, so your last statement "get the xray done to be sure this is the problem" is wrong, and your statement "sounds to me like something else is going on" is silly. If you really did know anything it should occur to you that if the horse has been MRI'd, its almost certainly been xrayed already.

 

[Murphs_Mum]

Thanks puddicat - We do get the feeling a bit that the Vets are finding this interesting and educational! As he was insured (now up to limit) they were keen to try everything. The last thing was a drug that has been used with some success on the continent (not here) that was dripped into him over several hours, to be honest I don't really know what it was! His owner was told it was either a immediate major improvement of would make no difference - it was the later. He is back at the Vets tomorrow so I'll post what they say.

 

[Murphs_Mum]

He was x-rayed several months before we got to the MRI stage. Diagnosis is Pedal Oestitis and Side Bone. What I'm trying to find out is really the prognosis - I haven't heard one person say they got to a stage where the horse could be comfortably ridden again.

 

[Murphs_Mum]

Treatment so far was Bute and box rest (about 3 months) then turnout, remedial farriery, X-rays, MRI, a very expensive drip treatment that has been used with some success abroad (Didn't work) and obviously he hasn't been in any kind of work. They have discussed cutting a nerve briefly with his owner (not my horse, she just keeps it with me). The owner is now pregnant so is happy to just turn him out for another six months if it would help but has been going on a long time now and really wanted other peoples experience of this (first time I've ever seen it).

 

[Beanyowner]

If the owner is not looking to ride the horse for the next six months I would personally be tempted to stop all treatment and as long as it wasn't in any obvious pain would turn it away for the six months and see what it is like after the rest. These mystery lameness have habits of healing themselves!!

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I was thinking that - my farrier (who isn't treating the horse) suggested that was the best idea. Have to see what the vets come up with tomorrow!

 

[Beanyowner]

Also if owner is preggers is she really going to want to be throwing money at this horse for diagnostics which may not even work!?!?

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I know, it's difficult as she needs to downsize the number of horses she has and obviously she can't sell him but doesn't want to throw loads of money at him. I think the Vets just get a bit carried away sometimes!! Looks from what I've read and what people have said the outcome might not be too great though

 

[Fiona]

Do you know the name of the drug that was given IV?? We are not due back at the vets until mid October, but would be interested to find out what it was to mention it to vet.

Fiona

 

[Murphs_Mum]

Will find out and let you know.