Pedal osteitis not cured after surgery. It is time to PTS?

Loudabell

Loudabell

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My mare had surgery on both her front hoof to remove infected pedal bone after a diagnosis of pedal osteitis. It took a year to make this diagnosis despite her feet being constantly pussing etc. if you search my old posts you can see all the trauma we went through. Any way Leahurst said she would make a full recovery and she was ok for 6 months afterward. Bought back into very light work.

She now however, is back to square 1. Constant abscesses that don't run clear in both front hoofs. Sound in the front when they are draining but then dog lame when they stop draining and need to be opened up on a monthly basis. She's poulticed a lot of the time and as you can imagine, spending a lot of time in her stable. She's 18 years old and now unsound in her back legs where she's constantly trying to shift her weight from her front feet. I love her dearly but have spent thousands over the last year and a half trying to treat her. Insurance run out a year ago. We've re xrayed but the vet says he can't see anything other than the abscess tracts and a bulge on the front if both hoofs.

Has anyone any experience of pedal osteitis that has not been treatable?
Could this be any other underlying condition (bloods came back clear last year)

I'm thinking now that its time to consider PTS but its so difficult as she's happy in between episodes. I'm just emotionally drained, bankrupt and scared I'm going to Have her PTS and then regret it. Is there anything else I can do or am I clinging on to false hope?????

Might be worth mentioning as well that the surgeon that operated on her at Leahurst has left and I can't track him down. We've seen a number of farriers that have never seen anything like this and the same goes for my vets.

Any advice good or bad is welcome as this forum helped us so much last year.
 
Didnt want to read and run , only you we know what feels right with your horse and when the time is up, sending you and your horse a big hug, ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
 
What a horrible situation to be in, I am so sorry for you! I can relate to how you feel as I had one with laminitis who also kept getting pus under his sole, we tried so hard to get him right, was stabled for nearly a year and I spent a fortune, he was only twelve!
We could never resolve it and one day I just looked at him and he had lost his sparkle, he had had enough, so I let him go, it broke my heart!
I am sure you will know when enough is enough! Hugs x
 
If she were my horse I would probably pts in those circumstances. Sadly the vets can't always sort everything and I think if they could sort this they should have done it by now inside that time frame and while the insurance funds were thrown at the problem. It must be very unpleasant for your mare so pts may well be the kindest option for her, even if terribly sad for you.
 
Just a thought, have you been on the US based world wide farrier's forum to ask if any of them has experience of this problem? It might be worth a try if you haven't already.
 
I'm very sorry to hear what you've had to go through with your mare.

My dad is a vet and has always said he doesn't believe in playing God with animals' lives. They can't understand why they are being put through pain and stress, for them it is suffering without an end, even if you have hopes they will get better. Your mare isn't going to get any younger, and if she is clearly in discomfort with very little chance of relief, then I would PTS. You sound as if you have tried as hard as you can.

It's a difficult decision if inbetween bouts she is happy, but think of all the times when she isn't, all those times when she is in pain and discomfort.

*hugs*
 
Thank you so much for your advice. I think i know what I need to do now. The vet has said we should wait until the last part of the grove that is left from her op grows out and the if it continues to puss after that we call it a day. The grove should be trimmed out next time the farrier comes to visit. Thanks again.
 
I feel really sorry for you but I'm afraid you have to consider her quality of life and it doesn't seem fair to keep this horse going if she is going to be in a lot of pain with abcesses and hind limb pain.

If it helps you at all, if you put in your search engine the vets name, and 'veterinary surgeon', or 'equine' you might be able to track him down. If he is a good consultant/vet then another practice (assuming he is still practising as a vet) will want to promote his name on their website and you should be able to track him down easy enough. x

I wish you well with whatever you decide.
 
I am really sorry to read about your mare. My horse was diagnosed with pedal osteitis which was revealed by bone scintigraphy (sp?). He'd had 3 completely different injuries to the same hoof over three years and the pedal osteitis was the cumulative outcome.

During all 3 injuries I had hot tubbed with epsom salts and salt and then wet poulticed, then dry poulticed till abscesses had drawn. But he ended up with a completely swollen hind leg which he could only swing out to walk.

After the vet hospital diagnosis he was sent home for more box rest, but was allowed to go into a very tiny dry paddock (about the size of two stables) by the entrance to the yard daily for a few hours. That I think saved his sanity, he enjoyed being out there and seeing people and horses coming and going.

I continued daily hot tubbing with epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) and salt and dry poulticing as long as there was a hole and something was coming out. After a couple of months he was fine. He's been sound now for two years, back to normal.

I know this may be different to your mare's situation but if in the meantime you can get her out of her box into a very, very small paddock her quality of life will improve and maybe like my horse she may come alright. I know its a long shot.....
 
Not sure if this is useful but I have a youngster who has suffered terrible multiple abscesses. We're out the other side now but it's been a rocky and emotional journey. I had to analyse his feed and use a special recipe of vits and mins to balance it a up. I did it all through forage plus and they have been amazing. You may be further down the line than me, but this literally saved his life. Pm me if I can help on any way. Good luck.
 
cblover said:
Not sure if this is useful but I have a youngster who has suffered terrible multiple abscesses. We're out the other side now but it's been a rocky and emotional journey. I had to analyse his feed and use a special recipe of vits and mins to balance it a up. I did it all through forage plus and they have been amazing. You may be further down the line than me, but this literally saved his life. Pm me if I can help on any way. Good luck.
Click to expand...

ditto this they've sorted my horse as well
 
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