Sore shoulder

[Marilyn]

Hi,

My mare is lame this am, and after picking out all feet, watching her move and feeling down her legs carefully, i think it's her shoulder. My guess is that she's slipped in the mud as it's very slippery around here at the moment. Any advice on what, if anything, I can do to help her? She's turned out 24/7 so is moving it to a degree...

 

[ISHmad]

I'd call my vet personally.

 

[Marilyn]

Really? When I said 'moving to a degree' I mean, she is moving around and walking, I was trying to say that she's keeping the leg moving which seems advantageous.

 

[Marilyn]

bump

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

If she is able to put weight on the leg and is walking round the field then let her be until next week. If you call the vet out now you will be classed as an emergency they are likely to be closed for the duration.

Have you got any bute you can put her on to relieve any swelling and remove some pain? I personally would give her half a sachet of bute, leave her turned out to stop her stiffening up in the stable, keep her warm and if after new year she still isn't sound call out either the vet (on appointment, or ask if they'll pop in when they're passing) or an osteopath to see her.

If she is reluctant to put weight on the leg and isn't moving round the field at the moment then you need to get the vet out immediately.

 

[Marilyn]

I don't have any bute, but I might be able to get some...she is moving around and is happy in herself, if you know what I mean? I am booking her in for an session with an equine physio in the new year, so that might help. If she gets worse, I'll get the vet now, but if it's a pulled muscle, it should get better slowly, shouldn't it? Thank you

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

If it's likely to have been tweaked in the mud, give her a good 10 days off and some bute to take the swelling down and just keep her warm. the physio will need to have a proper look at her shoulder in the new year.

Don't panic... just drug her up!!!

 

[ISHmad]

Just a thought Marilyn, mad as this may sound I thought one of my horses had hurt his shoulder. And it turned out to be an abcess in his foot.

 

[Marilyn]

Hi There, thank you both for your replies. The farrier is due early next week as well, although, obviously, I will act if she deteriorates in anyway. Thank you.

 

[Marilyn]

Hi ISHmad. I've checked for heat in her foot and tenderness but can't find anything, although I appreciate some absesses are quite deep in the foot. How did you find out it was your horse's foot not his shoulder, in the end?

 

[rhino]

What made you think it was the shoulder? Shoulder injuries are comparatively rare in horses, and as it is said that over 90% of lamenesses stem from the hoof then I would tend to try and rule that out first.

Apart from fairly uncommon mechanical lamenesses, lameness generally means the horse is in some degree of pain! With no obvious sign of injury I would personally call the vet out, if not today then tomorrow if there is no improvement. Certainly wouldn't be 'drugging up' and as physiotherapists legally require permission from your vet to visit I would discount that at the present time also.

Hope it is nothing serious

 

[Marilyn]

I'm thinking it's the shoulder because I've checked everywhere else and, when I did her shoulder stretches this morning, she was hesitant with one and we didn't have the same degree of stretch as we usually do...

 

[rhino]

When you do shoulder stretches do you have the foreleg extended?

 

[Marilyn]

Yes, so she extends her leg in a straight line from shoulder to toe...why?

 

[rhino]

Yes, so she extends her leg in a straight line from shoulder to toe...why?

When mine did an sdft - no lameness, no swelling - he hit the roof when I did that stretch! Could palpate the leg itself with no real reaction though (I appreciate that he is an 'odd' horse )

I would still rule out foot first if you can, is it worth giving your farrier a call to see if he can swing by today/tomorrow?

 

[Marilyn]

Crikey- that must have been quite a shock! She was OK, not as willing as willing as normal but not wild. I think she is getting better the more she moves on it- not much, but a bit...would this tie in with foot abscess?

 

[rhino]

Crikey- that must have been quite a shock! She was OK, not as willing as willing as normal but not wild. I think she is getting better the more she moves on it- not much, but a bit...would this tie in with foot abscess?

They can present so differently it's hard to tell, everything from 'broken leg' immediate lameness to appearing to become totally sound again and then further lamenesses... On soft muddy ground they are often sounder than on the hard/stony surfaces.

If she is content in the field, mobile and eating normally then just keep a close eye on her for now

 

[Marilyn]

Thanks rhino. She seems content in herself, was shouting and me this morning when I went to see her to pick her feet out, etc. I don't think she's 'happy' with her reduced movement but she is moving, has her field shelter to stand in and was chomping on her hay and feed earlier without any issues. Now I'm wondering if walking her around is a good idea (just on a headcollar) to see if it helps/gets worse?

 

[rhino]

Now I'm wondering if walking her around is a good idea (just on a headcollar) to see if it helps/gets worse?

Personally I wouldn't, horses are generally good at 'listening' to their bodies and only doing as much as they are comfortable doing. That is also why I won't give painkillers if I don't know what the problem is, it is very easy for them to cause further injury as they don't feel the pain. Make sure she is warm enough, may need an extra rug as the lack of movement/feeling under the weather can make them seem a bit chilly.

(PS I've just got back from physio on an injury which I 'ignored' Can't take my own advice it seems )

 

[Marilyn]

No, I can appreciate that- I've had a dodgy back forever...have I been to my physio recently- no. Has the cob has a chiro our recently? Oh yes! I'll keep an eye on her and let her rest...poor little thing. Hopefully tomorrow it will either be better or (if it's an abscess) a bit more obvious, so I can, if required, plead with my farrier
Thanks again,

 

[Pearlsasinger]

When our Welsh A pulled a shoulder muscle (I saw her do it), the vet recommended ox rest with controlled walking for 3 weeks. Admittedly, this was many years ago and thinking may have changed.
I'd leave her until at least tomorrow and see if there is any improvement deterioration. If there is deterioration, I'd certainly get the vet out. Could you ring your vet today, just for a chat?

 

[Marilyn]

It did cross my mind, but I've just changed vet (literally yesterday), so I am not sure how well they'd take it...I'm going to keep an eye on her and see what she's like in the am. If she's worse, I'll phone and quizz the new vets, hoping they will take it all well.
Thank you