Stifle issues

[spottypony90]

I’ll try and keep this relatively short.

So friend’s horse (17 hands full Friesian) that I have looked after/ridden for the last five years and has always had stifle issues which we did get under control….

Locking stifle as young horse when growing, plenty of work including hills and polework to build up muscle. He also had them x-rayed at the time and ended up having an injection in one to tighten the ligament.

It has a tendency to ‘give way’ and almost clunk when going downhill. It became so slight it happened once every now and again and he seemed happy.

Fast forward to three weeks ago when he stayed in one night due to bad weather (he does come in most days for a bit anyway so not unusual) and RH was locked in the morning. He was very stiff, and short in LH. I turned him out and got Vet to come out the following day. She prescribed two weeks rest and but as he may have tweaked himself or fell in the field. I notice he was a lot more stable when on the Bute, he came off it completely on Saturday and now looks short again and is dragging toes. He just seems very uncoordinated behind and has started slipping a lot when out on the road leading up to this… presumably because he is trying to move different to be comfortable. Next stage is full lameness work up at the Vets. he is 10 now so wondering what they might find. He is so wobbly downhill though at times I’m wondering if it could be wobblers even? I have no experience with wobblers. Not sure bute would improve it though? thoughts please

 

[spottypony90]

Forgot to add - he also is prone to scabbiness on his back legs which was well under control but had flared up at the same time. May be unrelated but he managed to pull his chestnut off his RH in the field and a lot of the scabs are down the back of his legs just below the hocks. I am now wondering if they are as a result of struggling to get up when he lies down. He used to lie down regularly in the stable but I have not seen him lay down for a couple of weeks now.

 

[musk]

Is he close in his action behind at all?
It might be worth having a full lack of performance/lameness work up done at the vet as there might be something else causing the locking stifle that needs treated before locking stifle will improve. Maybe SI or spinal not quite right

 

[ycbm]

Wobblers could respond to bute if it was caused by inflammation of or near the nerve in the neck.

The horse needs a head to toe workup by the sound of it.

 

[spottypony90]

Wobblers could respond to bute if it was caused by inflammation of or near the nerve in the neck.

The horse needs a head to toe workup by the sound of it.

I will mention it to the Vet. Yes he’s having a full work up, just want to get to the bottom of it.

 

[spottypony90]

Is he close in his action behind at all?
It might be worth having a full lack of performance/lameness work up done at the vet as there might be something else causing the locking stifle that needs treated before locking stifle will improve. Maybe SI or spinal not quite right

Not really no, yes he’s having a full lameness work up done in a couple of days.

 

[Landcruiser]

Run full bloods at the same time and (I'm thinking of the scabbiness and general discomfort) - check selenium levels. Low selenium can cause the issues you describe (not the locking stifle, obvs)