Strange intermittent lameness

welshcobabe

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Brought the lad in the other night as he came towards me in the mud he looked lame. Once out onto the dry track he was fine. Fine the next morning after been in all night. Lame again at night so kept him in the following day at teatime trotted him up sound as a pound. So this morning out he went fine and tonight lame again. I have checked for mud fever, cuts all the usual and nothing. The only thing I can fine is some slight heat in the bulb of his heal on the inside of the foot. I have scrubbed the legs and could not find anything. So going to leave him in for a few days and see how he goes but just thought I would see if you guy had any ideas.
 
I had exactly the same problem with my lad 3 weeks ago...seemed fine but unlevel and mildly lame on harder ground or un-even camber...but not every stride and not all the time...real minor difficult to pin point stuff. Got the vet out and did the usual trot ups etc and he was stumped too...just kept throwing a stride every now and then and a bit pottery on turns. The vet put it down to him having pulled something and said to box rest him for a few days and give him some bute. He was sound after a week in stable and has been fine since (touch wood). So who knows...but I cannot rule out mild laminitis in my case but only time will tell with that as the hoof grows and the farrier spots any changes.
That probably does not help you but just very similar.
 
Agree with SpottedCat..quite often an abscess brewing.. a vet once told me that because they are fluid, they tend to move around quite a lot until they find a route out. Hope it's nothing too serious
 
This morning he was sound and trotted up fine. I have left him in. Another livery has suggested it may be more of a muscular injury the logic been in the thick mud of the feild its pulling his joints. He is a big Fresian cross with loads of bone the only heat I can find is just behind the knee its warm. Will keep him in for a few days and see how he goes. Thanks for your help.
 
exactly the same thing was happening with my boy there for a week or two - it was an abcess which burst out itself and he is now 100% sound again after a couple of days poulticing!!!
 
If its a muscular issue, box rest should do the job as will just let it rest for a while,
if its an abscess then it should, eventually, find its way out, if it doesn't call the vet! A good way to check is pick up his hoof like going to pick it out, and apply gentle pressure with your thumbs in different areas of the sole of the foot, if he flinches or moves his foot away, that is a pretty good indicator there is something under there!
 
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