sever lameness, no heat or swelling - what could it be??

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BlueFire710

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Hi there,

sorry *severe (in title)

my mare is a ten year old affiliated showjumper and after a jumping session (on a fabulous surface) she went severely lame on her off fore leg - she was going down a long side in medium canter, completely sound, then came round the corner hopping lame.

I have tapped her sole on both feet to no reaction, done fetlock tests (i.e. testing rotation and movement) again to no difference on either side, have done the tendon pinching test which bizarrely got more leg jerks from the good leg! and also tested her shoulder by pulling it forward all the way, then relaxing it then repeating and she didn't show any signs of discomfort. Although she is a little more sensitive to have that shoulder rubbed when led out for a few strides she did put the lame leg down straight - she didn't swing it round.

As i said in the title, there is no heat or swelling in the leg at all - and hasn't been since it happened on Tuesday evening. We did get the vet out and she said that she thought it was a superficial flexor tendon strain and she is due to have it scanned on Tuesday next week but other people who've seen her or who we've spoken to seem to find it hard to believe it's a tendon given how lame she is and the lack of heat or swelling. I have been cold hosing or icing it twice a day, bandaging both front legs the rest of the time and she's on box rest as per vet's instructions and she is getting less sore on it but i wondered if anyone had any other ideas as to what it could be or any thoughts or advice at all?

Sorry it's so long, thanks for bearing with me!
 
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Oops, sorry to be Mrs Doom and Gloom, but same happened to my horse and it was the DDFT in the foot.

You are doing the right thing in box rest though as if it is a tendon in the foot you really don't want to compound any damage. It is then the normal route of vet elimination to find out what it is.

Eventually had my horse MRI scanned as it become intermittently lame and by that time it was too damaged and the horse is now a very lovely field ornament! Had I had the scans done before he had come off box rest, then we might have had a better outcome?
 
My friends horse did exactly the same whilst riding in the school 100% sound to hopping lame. Xrays & scans of tendons didn't show anything however, upon having an MRI done he had a split in his DDFT where it joins to the bone inside the foot. Hope it isn't the same with your horse but without any heat or swelling it's difficult to tell. Surely your vet would nerve block starting at the foot and working upwards until the horse comes sound. That way you will be sure exactly what area to scan/xray?
 
Ditto exactly same as other 2 posters, my mare was warming up in the arena when suddenly went lame. DDFT tear within hoof found via MRI scan. Happened so quickly and suddenly. She recovered from that injury happy to say.
 
well, thank you all so much! Since you all had the exact same experience caused by the exact same issue that seems like it's very likely the case with my mare too. Am not sure exactly the procedure the vet will do with ultrasound i.e. whether or not he will do the nerve block or only if the tendon scan is negative for the SDFT problem. It's so helpful to know that the MRI scan on the foot may be the diagnostic answer. I would have had no idea of this as a problem so thank you again!
 
Izzwizz said:
Ditto exactly same as other 2 posters, my mare was warming up in the arena when suddenly went lame. DDFT tear within hoof found via MRI scan. Happened so quickly and suddenly. She recovered from that injury happy to say.
Click to expand...

Would you mind letting me know what the treatment process was and how long it took so i have some idea of what should be done to lead to recovery. Will obviously consult vet also!
 
It was a bad tear and therefore she was on complete and I mean not allowed out of the stable for a month, box rest with double wedges in wedge shoes. She was then over a period of 2 months I think from memory, graduated down to the wedge shoes then to egg bars. Handwalking followed on a flat surface building up to different terrain around the yard and just off it - that was fun! We then progressed to ridden work whilst still in the stable, it was going into winter so no point any turnout as the fields were muddy and slippery and would have undone all the good work. This was Sept to Jan, in Jan 2010 she went for a re-scan, healing had taken place but she had inflammation in the navicular bursa. Had an injection into that to help. Was eventually turned out into a bald paddock so as to encourage her to forage, she is very food orientated and I had to watch her weight. That was in the May of 2010. Was a bit sore at first but then after about 2 wks she was fine, she was out 24/7 so as to eliminate the yee-ha factor of being in at night and out during the day as she had always been kept previously. Vet checkups went on and she did fine. I just hacked her out, did nothing in the school as didnt want to risk straining the tendon.

Unfortunately in March this year she injured the opposite front leg, vet said this was probably due to taking the weight on it more when the DDFT injury was ongoing. She had a slight tear in the SDFT so a short period of box rest followed and she was turned out in June. She is now having a year out to rest and heal properly, doing well and looks sound. I will bring her back into work next April.

Izzy was sound and well enough after the DDFT injury when she was in work to go on to do Dressage, only walk/trot and we did well. She is 16 and Hanoverian/TB and 16.1 so that gives you an idea of her type.

Hope that helps.
 
Sorry, DDFT for mine too. Although mine started more minor and was only on a tight circle.

So after x-rays and nerve blocks treated for coffin joint arthritis, then he got worse and to the point of not wanting to put the leg down and "squarely" underneath him. He always held it toe down in front of the other.
DDFT is not something you can see / feel. It's within the hoof.
We opted straight for surgery. This was I could be told how "bad" the tear was & whether rehabing would be in his interest.

He had a long tear, and the bits from the tendon were healing onto themselves and tearing more, hence why it started slowly & got worse. In surgery they cleaned it up and came back to me on a very strict regime.

I had to walk in hand for about 4 months in total, twice a day, by 6weeks, we were up to 20mins. I was then allowed to ride, again very strict, again twice a day.

After 6months box rest he was allowed to be turned out. We continued riding daily (although it reduced to once).
He had egg-bar shoes & I gave him blue chip dynamic & newmarket supplement.

It was really hard work, but mine returned to full hacking work. I'll never jump (he was starting 1.15m classes), but I'd rather have him having a filled life, than jump and become a lawn mower.
 
Hi there again everyone - i wanted to let everyone know that the vet came back today - she'd planned to do an ultrasound but on re inspection and feel believed that there was absolutely no chance of it being the SDFT - so she x-rayed it in case it was a pedal bone fracture and when these came back fine she nerve blocked which confirmed it was in the foot. She said that it must be either DDFT in the hoof or ligaments in the foot damaged. The only way to know which one it was she said was MRI but since my mare is not insured he said the benefit of this is almost non existent as the treatment and prognosis is exactly the same for both. So, she's on six months complete box rest, followed by gradually increasing exercise - much the same as you all said! She does believe that she should make a full recovery and return to both eventing and showjumping if we are patient and follow the program properly! So that is a consolation.

Thank you all so much for sharing your experience. It meant that i could go into the visit having done some research and having your info meaning that i knew exactly what questions to ask rather than just being overwhelmed by the diagnosis and not understanding it fully. Also, she hadn't thought of DDFT in the hoof as a possibility until i suggested it too her! So, many thanks!
 
the power of HH :D

However I am a little confused. As some of those on here had horses with this that could not return to full work. How can your vet be so sure without seeing the damage that your mare will? especially as she was very lame.
 
I think the vet is just meaning that her experience of DDFT in the foot (she says she's seen quite a few), if the program is followed and we only move on each step as and when my mare is ready, she is HOPEFUL that she will be able to return to the work. I think some of the people on here were saying that had it been diagnosed sooner the prognosis may have been better for their horses. Anyway i'll keep the hope but i won't push her if she can't do the jumping again! Perhaps the vet could tell how gutted i was and was trying to give me the best scenario but at this point at least it's something to keep me going even if it doesn't materialize - i'm so devastated for my horse who loves competing more than anything!
 
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