Reoccurring forelimb lameness

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DaisyMae

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My 10 yearold ex-racehorse went lame in July. She had a very pottery gait and was worse on the near fore. Vet said lami and she recovered super quickly, considering she could hardly walk a couple of days before, and was sound when the vet came to check on her after 5days boxrest.

Horsey was sound for 4weeks in heartbar shoes and then i had normal shoes put back on. She remained sound for a further one and a half weeks and then went terribly lame again literally over night. Again, she was much worse on the near fore and this time she had a bit of fluid up the back of the tendon. Different vet said he didn't think it looked like lami at all and xrayed her feet 5days later. Xrays only showed that the pedal bone hasn't moved. She had, yet again, made a spectacular recovery by the time he came back.

Had heartbars fitted and a different blacksmith check her hooves. He said he'd grade her feet as 3.5 out of 10 and that on her near side fore the bar is missing and there is a hole where it should be so theres no support for her hoof, meaning that its kinda squishing when she walks. Although, he's not sure if this is causing the lameness or not. He's put some special casts (bit like vet wrap which sets like plaster when wet) on her fronts and she was fine until the right one fell off this weekend and within 24 hours shes gone lame on the left again. It definately looks like her hoof and she was resting the toe lastnight. I've had new ones put on yesterday but she's still lame and i've just been to check on her on my dinner hour and the slight fluid behind her tendon is back.

Booked her in at the vets in 2weeks (first available appointment) for investigation but she may make a speedy recovery again before then...or maybe not
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In the mean time she's on boxrest, obviously.

Vets are scratching their heads. If anyone been through anything similar with their horse id really like to know what the outcome was, or if anyone has any ideas as to what it could be feel free to let me know. Anyway, i just fancied a moan because i'm fed up.
 
If her feet are anything like as wet as my mare's, and given that TBs have flat soles plus your experience with the "plaster cast", I'd bet a pound to a penny that she has sore feet. My mare is noticeably ouchy walking about on the concrete outside the stables, but is fine back on the grass. She is barefoot, and has been for 3 years, but still finds it hard going. Your horse's feet probably dried out during the box rest and any bruising disappeared.
 
I've had two expriences of intermittent lameness. The first was a TBX with bad feet, almost non-existent heels and very poor hoof quality that couldn't hold shoes. The farrier put him in Equibuild pads which helped him hold his shoes, protected his soles and reduced the effects of concussion. They also take the pressure off the walls and stimulate growth so the farrier can gradually have more foot to work with and address the angles and foot balance.

The other horse with intermittent lameness was misdiagnosed for a long time, but after an MRI scan was found to have several foot imbalances and navicular changes. We took her barefoot under the management of a DAEP qualified Equine Podiatrist, and that decision turned out to be the best thing we could have done with her, as she came sound within quite a short period of time and her feet improved dramatically - she has been sound 3 years now.

I think the approach you adopt will depend on the investigations. If you are insured with Petplan it would be worth considering an MRI scan, they pay for all of it. Other insurers may only pay a percentage.
 
Like brightmount my experiences with intermittent lameness involve a TB. He constantly bruises his soles to the point where he will barely weight bare on the affected foot. We now have silicone pads put under the shoes every shoeing. This keeps him sound - without them he is never sound for more than a few weeks at a time. TBs are known for having very thin and sensitive soles.
However, if your vet and farrier don't think it is bruising and x-rays are clear I'd push for an MRI. My TBs intermittent lameness turned out to be a combination of the bruising (as mentioned above) and chronic wear to the collateral ligament. This can only be diagnosed through MRI. I'm not saying this is by any means what is wrong with your horse but simply trying to illustrate that you need to push your vets for a diagnosis. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the replys. Strangely she doesn't react to hoof testers i'm i presuming that it's not bruising. Marchtime, can i ask what happened to your horse. Is he/she still in work?
 
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