Pony lame in fetlock, after advice please

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tinap

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Hi,

I'm in need of a bit of advice if anyone has any!!

The daughter & her pony had a nasty fall eventing 6 weeks ago. Vet was called to the venue to check him over as he was struggling to bare weight on nearside fore. Organisers had bandaged the leg by the time I had got to them, but when vet arrived & removed the bandage there was no, heat or swelling & he was baring some weight although not as normal. She gave him a metacam injection & advised to get my own vet the following day.

Vet from my usual practice came out next day (although not my usual vet). Again no heat, no swelling, only very, very slightly lame & not worse after flexion test. He gave him bute for 5 days, said he had probably just jarred it. Advised box rest for a week followed by walking out & turned out in a small paddock for a week or so then should be fine.

So, did all that but after walking out the first time he still looked on his toes. I fenced him in a small paddock but he still came in on a night. 2 weeks later & the pony was now visibly lame, although again still with no heat or swelling ( that any of us or yo could see or feel) so I rang vet back. My usual vet arrived this time & within minutes of looking was convinced there was slight swelling around his fetlock. He did a flexion test & the pony trotted up dog lame. :(

To cut a long story short, he did some X-rays & the only thing that showed was a slight fuzziness around his joint capsule in his fetlock which vet said is fluid due to injury there. He prescribed two bute a day for a week followed by one a day for a week. Vet was certain he would be sound after this although said to trot him up a few days after coming off bute just to check & if he was still not sound to ring for more bute.

So he's been off the bute for 5 days today & we trotted him up this afternoon. Still visibly lame, although not as much as last time.

I am now wondering whether to order another lot of bute or someone has suggested trying him on synequin.

Any advice??!!

I will give the vet a ring back on Monday to see what he thinks but I don't know if he is being rather optimistic in his estimation for recovery!! I've never had anything go lame before so it's all new to me! I did query with the vet if it could be a tendon/ligament injury but he is 100% certain it's the joint capsule.

Just wondering if anyone else has had experiences with this type of injury, or if not, what would your next course of action be?

Many thanks xx
 
Time.

It's very good that the x-ray showed no chips or breaks but he has obviously hurt it a lot. I would talk to the Vet about field rest and giving him the time that he needs to come sound.
 
Ah, good old time & as I thought! Vet did suggest he would back out & jumping within a month but to me that did seem a tad realistic - I'm not really expecting that any time soon to be honest!

I have still got the pony on a small paddock in the day, in on a night but I'm having to put the fence back about a metre every 4 days as he has eaten everything off of the small field but the grass is mega lush on the rest of it - he's a very good doer that gets fat on fresh air!
 
If it makes you feel better - I used to ride a horse that had almost been PTS after a massive SJ accident but the owner decided to give him a chance and turned him away for a year. He came back into work 100% sound and stayed sound too. :)

My own mare has been on field rest for a year and a half (hoof and slight tendon issues, PTS was mentioned) and she's now just coming back into work.

OK, these are extreme cases, I'm sure that your horse wont need that much time, but it shows how the body can heal when left to it.
 
That's good news yours is well again!

I'm sure he will come sound again & if it takes a year then that's just life!! Daughter just kicking herself that she went eventing as he's now out of action for scope & trailblazers finals :(

Oh well, the joys of owning horses!!!
 
My advice would be to get a second opinion.

There could well be a hairline fracture that has been missed there, and not every vet is equal to the task of taking Xrays on competition horses. It's not as simple as

I would hunt around for a vet which racing stables use, in this case. Ask around. and probably don't mention any of it to vet #1. Some of them get vexed


Bute only makes him sound btw, doesn't cure anything. you might want to give it two more weeks off before you look for another vet, mind, but what'd worry me is the knock is in a wrong place for there to be a knock. I knew a horse who had burst his joint capsule and he never was lame, and another who got a small bone chip in the same area and he was lame indeed
 
Thank you, I had been thinking of getting a second opinion, others on the yard had suggested it too.

I'm presuming the Bute will just take the pain away hence being sound while on it?! Strangely though he has been back to his usual knobber self, rearing at rabbits & such, since coming off the Bute!

The fall happened when they got a stride wrong to a xc fence & he clonked it with his front feet, rotated & landed back facing the fence but on his side . xx
 
Bute is a non steroidal anti-inflammatory, so yes, it does have an effect other than masking pain.

Is your horse insured? I would get vet back out, and if you can't get any better answers then ask to be referred to an equine hospital/uni or experienced referral practice for a full workup. You shouldn't go seeking second opinions without letting your own vet know, it is seen as unprofessional for a vet to take over a case without the previous vet knowing - also means that any x-rays etc. can be seen by the second vet and save repeated tests if they are not needed.

Any prognoses are not going to be much use if the actual injury is not correctly diagnosed.

Sorry for the pony and your daughter - especially as he was up for sale, wasn't he? :( Fingers crossed it is nothing serious but after 6 weeks I'd really be pushing for further diagnostic work, ideally by someone with extensive experience in lameness workups in competition animals :)
 
Yea he was up for sale & straight after the incident all seemed pretty much ok so it came as a bit of a surprise that he got worse.

He isn't insured - that was a decision we made a while ago after forking out so much money & never needing to use it!! This is the first time the pony has seen a vet for anything apart from jabs in the nearly 5yrs since we owned him. However, I told my vet it isn't a problem & to treat him as he would an Insured horse - whether that is happening or not though I'm not sure

Thanks for the advice, I will certainly see what the vet says tomorrow, although I think he will prescribe Bute for another week which is what he said he would do if still not sound. Xx
 
Tinap555 said:
Thank you, I had been thinking of getting a second opinion, others on the yard had suggested it too.

I'm presuming the Bute will just take the pain away hence being sound while on it?! Strangely though he has been back to his usual knobber self, rearing at rabbits & such, since coming off the Bute!

The fall happened when they got a stride wrong to a xc fence & he clonked it with his front feet, rotated & landed back facing the fence but on his side . xx
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Bute is important in the first few days of an injury to limit the inflammation and the damage it causes through swelling. It serves no purpose after that other than masking bigger problems and possibly making the injury worse as the horse doesn't feel a thing.
It sounds like the "clonking" was the cause of the injury. Whether it's a bad bone bruise or there is a hairline fracture is another issue.
But I'd say the pony would benefit greatly by cold therapy, ice boots, standing in a stream, cold hosing etc, 20 min at a time several times a day.

Best of luck! Sometimes we need some.
 
For me 6 weeks is a long time to have a lame horse with a known trauma and no proper diagnosis. I am a bit of a stickler for wanting to know why a horse is lame for more than a week or so especially if they have been seen to have a fall/slip etc.

Mine are insured for precisely this reason and I would want a complete lameness workup including scans, xrays, nerve blocks and if needed an MRI. That is just me though:rolleyes: If he was old and you were happy to have him as a field ornament if he doesn't come right then I would turn him away if he is field sound and wait and see. If you need to sell or compete again then I would be looking at a second opinion from a really good equine lameness specialist.
 
Thanks, he isn't mega old - 13yrs & Is a pretty high level comp pony (mostly BS). I have had a dignosis from the vet though. He had the xrays, vet didn't feel the need for nerve blocks as its very obvious where the pain is & is also 100% sure its not tendon or ligament related so hence no scan.

Unfortunately, him being a permanent field ornament is not a viable option. It's the daughters last year on ponies which is why he was for sale. I have an emergency fund for any vets fees - which this is the first time I've ever had to use it - but I cannot pay for 2 lots if livery if I were to get another. She has the ride of another but that is also a pony.

He has had that diagnosis from the vet, so would you question it or just give it more time? Also, what does anyone think to the suggestion of trying Synequin?

Thanks xx
 
For me "jarring it" would not be a diagnosis after 6 weeks - but I am very pedantic about these things due to a previous misdiagnosis which was a bit vague. This was a few years ago and I am much more suspicious and proactive on lameness now:(

I assume you are asking on here because you feel uncomfortable with progress so far? If you are happy - then fine - carry on - you know your horse and your vet. But if you are uncomfortable with how things are going then follow your instincts. It is a personal thing and I have come to realise that my attitude is coloured by my past experience. Others may be happier to give it more time. I hope he does well for you whatever you decide.
 
I trust my vet but there is something niggling me as he is still lame. I think because his estimated recovery time seemed a bit too optimistic maybe, or just because I have no experience with lameness at all, nothing I have owned has ever been lame, so the whole process is new to me.

Also posting on here to get opinions on the Synequin suggestion xx
 
At this point, no, I wouldn't recommend synequin. There is very little positive research into joint supplements, and although it wouldn't do any harm, it is a very expensive supplement with no guarantee of success.

I agree that you haven't had a proper diagnosis. Strains/Sprains/Knocks etc are fine, but given that your horse is still visibly lame after 6 weeks I would be looking further. Whether that's re-x-raying to see if there are any further changes, or doing a full workup, that is the path I would be choosing.

If you don't want to go that route then the only other option is really turning away at grass and reassessing in 3/6/12 months. It might well work, however you could find that you are in exactly the same place then.

It's true you could go down the diagnostic route and still not get a brilliant answer, but I think that your vet has been very optimistic in thinking that a few days/weeks on bute would work. It hasn't, and to continue doing the same thing would be madness in my opinion.

I would trust your gut feeling that there is more going on, I always have with my horses and haven't been wrong yet.

x
 
Thank you rhino

I'm more than happy to go on & investigate some more rather than sit & wait & see. Will discuss with the vet tomorrow xx
 
If he was mine I would be looking for a lameness specialist straight away for scans and a work up. How is. His back, neck and the rest of him? Definitely no point in another week of bute....won't do anything at this stage and when he is for sale time is of the essence. How is your daughter since the fall?
 
Rest of him is fine, he is a lot better than he was, but still slightly lame when trotted up. He was visibly sore for the first few weeks when just leading him in & out, but now he is a lot more spritely & is his usual rushing to get out self & back to spooking at daft things like rabbits or moved fence posts!!!

Thank you for asking about the daughter. She also had a sore leg for a few weeks, but is fine now. Just fed up & dying to ride him again - she does have the use of another but its just not the same xx
 
Cross fingers then that it is just a very nasty bone bruise. Having used recently one of those topical creams for humans for joint ache and arthritis for having hit a wood and metal wing with my shin and knee (Diclofenac type) I can guarantee they really help for bone bruising. Maybe rub that on his joint for a week or so?
If it is something nasty, he'd go lame again after sustained work in the future anyway; you could wait a bit longer to see which way it's going. Even if there was a small uncomplicated hairline fracture the enforced rest is healing it anyway. That particular area is a problem often because very small chips can detach there and create permanent lameness, but hopefully this is not your case. Ponies are hardy, usually ;)



PS: He should be sounder on soft sand.
 
Well he's gone out this morning, bucking & broncing, cantering around & then doing a beautiful floaty trot which made him look like an Arab stallion rather than an overweight cob!!! - & looked sound!!!

Confused now, waiting for vet to ring back!!
 
Yeah, sadly I've always a bruise or ten :D
That's great though, it looks like finally the injury is healing. Is there any leftover swelling or unsightly bump?
If at all possible he should be ready to do road work and then see how he is after that
 
Horses love to make liars out of us don't they...my mare retired due to injury and was away being covered when I got a call from stud asking was I sure as she had jumped a 5bar gate and was perfectly sound! Needless to say we covered her the madam! Poor daughter I know the feeling of its not the same!!
 
Bloomin heck amage!!!! Bet she was saying "I'm only joking, I'm not broken really & I hate kids" haha :D

Vet has said to see how he is for the rest of the week & fingers crossed may be up for some walking out!! Theres no swelling or bump at all xx
 
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