Stifle Soreness

[mully682]

Hi,

I have a 3 year old mare and since i have had her she has been really clumsy when you go to turn her. I have only had her since september 2010 and she currently is unbroken.

My mare would not pick any of her feet up when i first got her, but doing this everyday with much patience she is now okay most of the time, apart from her back right hindleg. My mare will put such a fight up with kicking out etc and so if i pick her foot up and let her drop it into my hand where the hoof is not too far off the ground she is not to bad (I have had the farrier come and he has advised me to do this just in case she has problem with leg).

A couple of nights ago i was standing with my back to her head and my friend went to investigate her stifle joint and gave it a little squeeze and she went mad, she went to bite me on my back and narrowly missed my friend with her hoof! Last night i had another feel and she obviously does not want you to be touching that area.

I have the vet coming today to check her over with her being so young, i am asking for any advice of any other people with there views of what they think it could be.

Thanks

 

[JanetGeorge]

Two possibles strike me - particularly given her age. One - I'm afraid - is OCD of the stifle. Your vet can take a guess whether this is likely, but only x-rays will confirm. If this IS the problem, she will probably need surgery (normally done as keyhole surgery - arthroscopy.) It is VERY unlikely to get better without - and would almost certainly show as lameness once she starts work if not treated.

The other is a 'loose' patella joint - the clumsiness suggests this and it would almost certainly improve once she starts work. But it's less likely - partly because it's only the one joint and partly because this problem doesn't usually cause pain.

Be interested to hear what the vet thinks.

 

[mully682]

Hi Janet,

Thanks for your post.

The vet came out to see her and i explained what the problem was, firstly he had a good feel around the leg in general, then the hock and then onto the stifle. When he started feeling this joint she showed her aggravation by being touched in this area, with kicking out and trying to bite me! When he went onto the other hind leg she was slightly the same. The vet said he could not feel anything at this point, and so now he asked me to walk her to the bottom of the barn (we could not go outside due to bad weather conditions).

The vet had me turning her in tight circles in each direction and then he did a flexion test. He thoroughly gave her a good examination and i trust him, but i felt that he just wanted to be sure (if this makes sense, as when he gave me his findings he would do something else).

After he had examined her stifle she would then let him lift it with no problem to a certain extent.

He told me he felt that he didn't think there was anything wrong as he could not feel anything and more importantly she isn't lame. The vet also stated that some horses do not like to be touched in this area. My mare has been in for a while due to the bad icey conditions.

He told me there was two things we could do at this point and this was wait and see what happens and he gave me 4 bute sachets, and he told me to give it to her when she was having a bad day. If there is a problem then it will only mask it and this will confirm there is a problem.

I went up yesterday to see her after work and when i was picking up her feet to pick them out i noticed that paticular hindleg she has a bit of heat in the hoof.

I would be very grateful if you could give me your opinion.

Thanks

 

[JanetGeorge]

He told me he felt that he didn't think there was anything wrong as he could not feel anything and more importantly she isn't lame. The vet also stated that some horses do not like to be touched in this area. My mare has been in for a while due to the bad icey conditions.

Mmm - the fact he couldn't feel anything doesn't mean there's nothing wrong - but it makes OCD less likely as there is USUALY an effusion around the joint which he would see. The fact she isn't lame doesn't rule out OCD - while some youngsters can be lame in the field, others show no signs of lameness until they start hard work. He's right that some mares - in particular - are ticklish around the stifle area - and the fact she got better might point to that.

He told me there was two things we could do at this point and this was wait and see what happens and he gave me 4 bute sachets, and he told me to give it to her when she was having a bad day. If there is a problem then it will only mask it and this will confirm there is a problem.

My vet would have suggested x-rays, but .... If she is unfit - and has been in - that could tie in with the 'loose patella' theory - and frankly, whatever it is, if she's lame enough to notice - 4 bute won't 'mask' it unless you give 4 a day!! The idea that bute masks real lameness is seriously a nonsense - unless given in VERY hefty doses! Believe me - I've had a couple of very lame horses who were JUST as lame on 5 bute a day over a period of days - and in one case - of weeks. Bute is a very good anti-inflammatory - it isn't the drug of choice as a painkiller! It makes a horse less lame only after he's had enough of it for the inflammation causing the lameness to be reduced.

Now the thaw is here, I would be getting her out of the stable as much as possible. Walking in hand - particularly up and down hills - would help strengthen the joint if that IS the problem - or possibly cause lameness if it's OCD - and lameness might concentrate your vet's mind a bit more!

The heat in the hoof - unless it's HOT - is probably irrelevent - or unconnected. The most likely cause of heat in a foot is an abcess - and if there's heat, there is almost always lameness - and it gets worsed quite quickly. If you notice further heat or lameness, then I'd get the farrier out to put hoof testers on and have a dig - otherwise forget it.

As to the stifle, I would concentrate on getting her used to having it handled - and gradually increase the height you lift her leg when picking out her feet. If it's just her being a silly sod, it will improve without Bute! If it doesn't improve - or gets worse - I would ask for her to be referred for a lameness work-up and x-rays. If you have veterinary fees insurance, don't leave it too long! If there's a chip it needs to come out before it causes damage.