Potential tail break/fracture

[Deltofe2493]

Hello

Anyone had any experience of this? Poor mare was back in work one day, reared, flipped and was in severe discomfort last Monday. She was box walking for 2 hours after it happend, and vet came out that afternoon and gave her bute/relaquine and suggested re tail break/fracture. He flex tested and she wasn't lame but quite clearly in pain in the hind end. This was not my usual vet as she wasn't available but took the meds and caught up with my usual on Friday.

She did the course of bute/relaquine and seeming brighter in herself but shes adopted this rushing through the stable door in and out - worse first thing in the morning and even after hand walking for 10 mins (as requested by the vet) she rushed back in. She is at the end of the corridor in the stable block so I'm wondering if she's anticipating the minimal space/tight turn?

It started on Sunday once she was off the meds, literally rushed out the stable span and bucked and was quite wobbly in her back end... she settled after a couple mins.

My usual is coming back tomorrow for re-examination/second opinion, but wondering if this is 'normal' behaviour for this type of injury and what people's experiences are and/or if it is actually her tail and not something more serious in the hind end? She's reactive in that area and almost tenses up if you go to touch it, and not lifting her tail to wee/poop.

 

[Cragrat]

Sorry, no experience, but the poor mare sounds like she's in a lot of pain I would definitely want a proper examination by an experienced horse vet, and possibly some kind of imaging.
Could be tail, but not wanting to turn would make me think it could be in her hindquaters/spine/sacrum somewhere.

 

[Deltofe2493]

Sorry, no experience, but the poor mare sounds like she's in a lot of pain I would definitely want a proper examination by an experienced horse vet, and possibly some kind of imaging.
Could be tail, but not wanting to turn would make me think it could be in her hindquaters/spine/sacrum somewhere.

Absolutely. I know the poor thing. Vet tomoz so I’ll come back with an update! X

 

[Alexanderevan145]

The rushing and wobbling sounds like pain, not bad behaviour. If she's sore in her back or tail, rushing through a tight turn will hurt.
The fact she’s not lifting her tail to toilet says she’s still hurting. Good your usual vet is coming worth checking it’s not her spine or something more than just the tail.

 

[SEL]

I knew a mare with a broken tail (most of it ended up being amputated) and it showed up more when she was trying to have a wee than normal movement.

Vet back is an excellent decision & I'll keep everything crossed for you

 

[Deltofe2493]

Yeah it is a fractured tail… vet says will recover but she won’t be asymmetrical behind again. Turnout and 20 mins walking work daily for the next couple weeks then increase the work after 2. Plus a 2 week course of Bute, so the best of a bad situation really apart from some very sad cosmetic damage.

I’m quite glad she’s backed up what the original vet said as everyone at my yard said there was no way - because everyone’s an expert aren’t they!

 

[SEL]

Yeah it is a fractured tail… vet says will recover but she won’t be asymmetrical behind again. Turnout and 20 mins walking work daily for the next couple weeks then increase the work after 2. Plus a 2 week course of Bute, so the best of a bad situation really apart from some very sad cosmetic damage.

I’m quite glad she’s backed up what the original vet said as everyone at my yard said there was no way - because everyone’s an expert aren’t they!

Well I'm glad it wasn't a lot worse but that is still a tough outcome.

FWIW the one I knew with the amputated tail was doing fun rides, clinics etc into her 20s. She did struggle with flies in summer without her tail and needed her back end washing regularly but that wasn't the end of the world. I did some bodywork with her and she had some interesting compensation patterns but they worked for her.