RachelB
Well-Known Member
I held off calling the vet until this morning, left a voicemail telling her what had happened and asking whether she wanted to see her or not. She called back and said yes she wanted to see her and she'd be coming early this afternoon. Maiden was about 2/10ths lame this morning, and she hadn't had any bute since yesterday morning. By lunchtime, predictably, she was almost as sound as she has been since she tore her tendon in the first place, in February 2007
Vet had a good look, trotted her up and down, looked at her turning, and said she was getting sounder the more I made her move. She then dug out the hole in her toe again and discovered that despite my best efforts at cleaning it last time, it had gone bad again and is more than likely the explanation for her continuing low-grade lameness. I now have to clean and plug it twice a week for as long as it takes to stop smelling nasty. She also decided, having had a really good look at Maiden's feet and legs, that it was likely the farrier's visit that triggered the lameness. Vet reckons Maiden needs more heel (not that she's lacking heel now, but she's not comfortable) and a bit less toe and she said instead of an eight week trimming interval I should be looking at six weeks and getting the farrier to make her a bit more upright again. I also have to bute her up before and after trimming as a preventative measure. If all goes well and she carries on getting more sound and her feet improve, I am allowed to start walking her out in 2-4 weeks
(NOT holding my breath this time
)
Vet was also worried about laminitis, but I cannot for the life of me find any sparse grazing near enough to home!
So positive I suppose in that she seems to be near enough sound now, vet did say at one point trotting her up she was 99.9% sound, and she also forgot again which was the foot with the torn tendon!
Thanks for all the support guys, no doubt I'll be needing it again soon enough, knowing my horse!
Vet had a good look, trotted her up and down, looked at her turning, and said she was getting sounder the more I made her move. She then dug out the hole in her toe again and discovered that despite my best efforts at cleaning it last time, it had gone bad again and is more than likely the explanation for her continuing low-grade lameness. I now have to clean and plug it twice a week for as long as it takes to stop smelling nasty. She also decided, having had a really good look at Maiden's feet and legs, that it was likely the farrier's visit that triggered the lameness. Vet reckons Maiden needs more heel (not that she's lacking heel now, but she's not comfortable) and a bit less toe and she said instead of an eight week trimming interval I should be looking at six weeks and getting the farrier to make her a bit more upright again. I also have to bute her up before and after trimming as a preventative measure. If all goes well and she carries on getting more sound and her feet improve, I am allowed to start walking her out in 2-4 weeks
Vet was also worried about laminitis, but I cannot for the life of me find any sparse grazing near enough to home!
So positive I suppose in that she seems to be near enough sound now, vet did say at one point trotting her up she was 99.9% sound, and she also forgot again which was the foot with the torn tendon!
Thanks for all the support guys, no doubt I'll be needing it again soon enough, knowing my horse!
