Season problems, can it make them lame?

[Izzwall]

I've posted a few times about my girl and her horrendous seasons. Last season I thought she had a tumour on her ovary as she turned extremely aggressive, trying to hurt other horses and myself too! She was also very sore all over and looked lame. Vet came out to scan her and typically she came out of season that day, scan was clear and pony was very sweet and happy. Literally a personality transplant! Blood tested to double check and that was all fine too. She was on 12ml of regumate at the time and vet concerned she managed to come into season despite the large dosage she's on (she should only have 6ml). Came off regumate and came back into season 3 days later. Apart from being flirty and was a bit messy behind the tail (first time I've seen her do that), she was absolutely fine! She came out of that one and she's been awesome for a number of weeks, just perfect in every way. 23 days in fact.
Fast forward to last Monday and she was a bit lethargic to ride and wouldn't canter in her normal favourite places. Gave her the day off then took her out for a long one and she didn't feel particularly right. Bucked in canter which she hasn't done in a long time and wouldn't jump any of the gorse bushes we normally fly over. She also toe dragged really badly the entire ride to the point its squared off her toes! Gave her 2 days off and her behaviour deteriated, refusing to stand tied up, kicking out picking out feet, squeeling at everybody etc. Took her up on the gallops with her friend and she planted at the bottom despite friend going off and out of sight. Got off and lead her home as she looked so tight all over with back legs camped under too. She tried to bite me all the way home. Gave her more time off and hacked her out a few days ago and she was fab but still toe dragging in trot a bit. Was grouchy on the ground and didn't want to be touched much.
Rode her yesterday in the school and she was just not right. Wouldn't canter and when I did get a few steps it was very short and felt odd. Toe dragging in trot and wouldn't go straight either, just not a happy bunny. Physio saw her later that day and she is lame behind, not hopping but enough to notice something isn't right. She was awful for her session and it took 2 hours due to her biting, kicking, grunting and trying to crush us. No particular pain anywhere, just tightness all over but particularly her hindquarters.
I've been worried about her hocks causing the toe dragging and the lameness but physio is unsure as she showed no particular discomfort when she worked on her hocks. Physio thinks stifle or ovaries. A friend came round today who's horse has suffered hock issues and agreed with the physio's thinking.
Shes been displaying her season for 11 days now and no sign of her coming out of it yet ? she's just so sore and angry.
Has anyone else experienced this with their mare? Vet wants to know next week if she comes sound when out of season and if not she'll be having a lameness workup done but he's pretty sure it's related to her ovaries. She's been through all the hormonal treatment and apart from removing them I can't see what options we have left?
Can painful ovaries cause toe dragging and lameness?

 

[Hollylee1989]

No experience with mares, but toe dragging can be a symptom of hind psd. If she's out of season and still the same, ask your vet to start nerve blocking/scan the legs. X

 

[Madali]

A couple of people I know had lameness issues With their mares.
Not sure how it manifested itself
One had a hormone injection which seemed to work
The other had her ovaries removed. She never looked back
good luck

 

[LadyGascoyne]

When Mim first came into season, she had a few rough seasons. She stood very awkwardly and moved as though she was lame behind. She also had very wet cow pat poos. The vet couldn’t find anything wrong and she was right as rain after each season.

I have her on D&H ground chaste berries and brewers yeast. She seems much happier.

 

[Equi]

The ovaries can cause back pain and this can present with tightness in the hind, just like a human would get a sore back etc. The length of the season is not normal but are you sure she’s actually in season and not just being tarty? Is there any geldings/stallions about her?

 

[Izzwall]

Thanks guys for your replies ? she's not tarty, literally the opposite in fact. She doesn't want anybody near her and will attack if another horse comes into her space. When she's out of season she's quite sociable and whinnies to other horses.
I've tried the injection (worked for the first two and stopped working), chaste berry, regumate, most of the herbal mare stuff. The regumate was a life saver for a number of years but now it's stopped working I just don't know what to do.

Interestingly she was much better yesterday, so much less tight behind and she took me out for a hack, loving every moment. Canter felt lovely and no toe dragging in trot for the first half, then she started to toe dragging again on the way home ?
I can completely understand her pain as I've had two operations for endometriosis. It'll be interesting to see if she keeps improving. It's the toe dragging I'm concerned about as maybe it's something else? I have my suspicious she has pssm even though she's tested negative for type 1 and has had a muscle enzyme blood test which came back normal. Her muscles are so tight in her whole hindquarters especially hamstrings and when I touch them it's like I've given her an electric shock!
The vet wants to know next week how she is and, if still toe dragging, we'll be doing a lameness workup.

 

[sherry90]

Not related to seasons but The Osteopathic vet has published something about a link between underperformance/lameness being common at times of spring grass due to hind gut issues. So, although that might not be your answer, I do think ‘seasons’ in terms of weather have a lot to answer for for horse performance and I can imagine that in itself alongside hormonal seasons could cause issues.

 

[Izzwall]

Not related to seasons but The Osteopathic vet has published something about a link between underperformance/lameness being common at times of spring grass due to hind gut issues. So, although that might not be your answer, I do think ‘seasons’ in terms of weather have a lot to answer for for horse performance and I can imagine that in itself alongside hormonal seasons could cause issues.

That's interesting, will go have a read of that. I think she's come out of season but is still toe dragging quite badly. Will ring vet on Tuesday and see where we go from here. I'm thinking of hock xrays?

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Here is the link that appeared on FB recently that Sherry 90 was referring to:

https://www.facebook.com/787351944743245/posts/2350739595071131

 

[Izzwall]

Such an interesting article! My girl lists so many symptoms! Right hind looks like the problem as well.
She didn't look great at all yesterday, really tight and wouldn't flex much at the hock so swung her right hind outward lots and dragged both hinds (you could see the scuffs in the school surface).
Interestingly tonight she was sound! No toe dragging, minimal swinging the right leg out too. Happy to canter on each rein. She was so much happier in her eyes and less tension in her face. We said hello to her friends without any lashing out and she didn't even swish her tail at her field companion when bringing in together. So I think she's finally come out of season ? will hack her tomorrow and see if there's an improvement. Spoke to vet today and he's coming out Friday to do a lameness work up but will monitor her the next few days and do a variety of work and see if she remains ok

 

[Izzwall]

Just to update thread, vet came today and xrayed hocks and stifle. Clean as a whistle with no issues which is fab news, in fact vet was surprised how good they were. However its looking like it could be sacroiliac issues which isn't good news. Vet still thinks ovaries could be playing a role so we are doing a bute trial and if she's more comfortable then we'll work a treatment plan for sacroiliac issues and if she's still uncomfortable even on bute we'll try the hormone injections again but the end game would be ovaries out. She is lame on her near hind and her pelvis tilts inwards on the lunge so I'm thinking it's more sacroiliac than ovaries ? or could be a combination of both

 

[nonny500]

Hi @Izzwall How is your girl doing now? I have a mare with spookily similar symptoms to the ones you described, so I’m really interested to hear if you found the root cause? I suspected PSSM but I got back negative results today. We started her on 15ml Regumate a few weeks back and she still came in to season, so we’ve just increased to 18ml :/ I also have the Osteopathic vet booked to see her as aside from the really good article mentioned above on hind gut (she’s just been treated for hind gut, pyloric and squamous ulcers) he did a really interesting video about twisted ovaries. I will post the link in case you haven’t seen it and are still looking for answers (…but hopefully you’re not) ?
Next stop for us is bone scan.
https://fb.watch/dD9C5llKsU