pedalostitis- whats the prognosis?

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RachaelV

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I had my ID X mare xrayed today after a 3wk bout of lameness. although not fully conclusive , my vet has concerns regarding changes in the surface of the pedal bone and has diagnosed pedalostitis. Has anyone had experience of this? Currently she has been prescribed 6 wks rest and bute, then as far as I can make out, see how she goes with bar shoes. Also, breeding from her was one of my options but will this diagnosis affect her suitability as a brood mare?
 
My old mare had this, we used to call it wear and tear of the coffin joint. She had about 6 months to a year off and then came sound enough on Superflex/Devils relief to hack, lightly school, we did the odd dressage test. She had it in both front feet and it was caused by her being too fat for too long and being asked to do too much work while being fat. We were given her when her owner died and managed to get the weight off her, but it was too late for her legs.

ETS: It can be hereditary so I personally wouldn't breed from her.
 
She is only 8 so I dont want to make any hasty decisions but the thought of her being out of action for the rest of her life doesnt bear thinking about. Breeding was the light at the end of the tunnel. Any other suggestions greatly appreciated.
 
Don't despair. A very well known sufferer of pedalostitis was Red Rum. Ginger McCain worked him in the sea and it disappeared and we all know what he went on to do! (Red Rum, that is . . . although GMcC did win the National again a few years ago with Amberleigh House)
 
It really depends how bad she is. My mare was 15 when I got her and was fat for 10 years of her life, she got pedalostitis when she was 14, owner put her in foal, but she was scanned not in foal (6 months after she was diagnosed) so I started to hack her quietly, as she was sound then, she then surprised us all by having a foal so then had a futher 6 months off and was sound then for the 3 years I had her which was from when the foal was weaned.
Being younger your mare may be able to recover from it quicker and with the bar shoes she may be sound again. I would speak to your vet about breeding from her, just to check about it being hereditary, it was 6 years ago I was told that so might not of been proven. My mare's foal is still sound, no problems, as far as I know.
 
Hi there,

My ID mare had this. She was 6 or 7 at the time. She was prescribed bute & navilox & had egg bars in front, & went sound enough to pass a 2 stage & be sold. The changes in the bone were actually reversing.

(That wasn't why I was selling her - she also had a huge ovarian tumour & when it was removed her behaviour changed from fiery stallion ie jump anything to being a happy hacker. I also gave her prospective new owners ALL her vet bills so they had a full picture.)

Good luck - there IS hope, especially as you've caught it early!!

T x
 
My mare was diagnosed with it in both front feet at the age of 6. She had a course of Isoxuprine (I think) and then bute every day for the rest of her life, plus egg bar shoes whilst she was worked and then wide webbed shoes once she was retired. In the following she was hacked most days, being careful on firm ground, and popped the clear round at the local shows. She was retired at the age of 20 and PTS at 23. I wonder if the shape of their feet means they are more likely to get pedal ostitis - mine was very shallow and flat flooted?
 
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