Sudden Lameness

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thehorsediva

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Took my horse out of his stable this morning to lunge him and he was fine in walk, pushed him into trot and he was very lame on hind leg. Cant find any heat or swelling or anything obvious! Standing on leg okay, putting weight on it no problem and fine on it in walk. He is turned out during the day, he is pretty sane in the field but it was windy yesterday, plus I did see a suspiscious looking flint in the field this morning. Obviously I will be getting the vet out but anyone got any comments? Is it worth poulticing it tonight incase punctured sole that I cant see? I have spoken to my farrier and he will come out if doesnt improve in a couple of days or earlier if it worsens. Rather worried so would welcome your comments!
 
I would poultice, can you soak his hoof in hand hot water with Epson salts first? (Not easy with a hind I know) this will help clean/draw anything out. Sounds very much like an abscess from what you've described, awful blooming things.
 
That was my way of thinking but when I spoke with my farrier he wasnt convinced it was an absess as he is fine in walk and standing on it. I have any epsom salts is there anything else I could use? He is a pretty chilled chap he will probably stand okay with foot in bucket!
 
Just found out from previous owner as a foal he had an abscess where he was fine in walk, badly lame in trot. Sounds like that might be the answer...
 
maybe normal salt will work as well. Unfortunately we're having abscess weather again warm and wet.

If you do a search on here for threads on abscess's there should be a lot of info. In my experience (my horse had 4 last year) they can come on very suddenly or brew for a few days/weeks until they are ready to burst.

Can you feel a pulse on the lower part of his lame leg? sometimes this is an indicator.

Could you get a farrier to come out with hoof testers? Or does his hoof seem tender at all if you gently squeeze his frog, heel area? (not that this will help if the abscess is at the toe)

How has he been today?
 
He has been ok walking, no better in trot. I am still cold hosing incase it's the leg. I have poulticed it for tonight. I can't find a pulse and nothing tender on the hoof anywhere. Farrier wanted to leave it for few days but I am reluctant to. I just don't know whether to get vet or farrier out first tmrw?
 
thehorsediva said:
He has been ok walking, no better in trot. I am still cold hosing incase it's the leg. I have poulticed it for tonight. I can't find a pulse and nothing tender on the hoof anywhere. Farrier wanted to leave it for few days but I am reluctant to. I just don't know whether to get vet or farrier out first tmrw?
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I've always gone with the vet but a lot of people go with farriers.
 
Just to let you know the vet couldn't find anything at all. She Numbed the hoof and definitely wasn't anything there as still very lame. He is going in for further investigations... And i am left Feeling rather worried
 
I would have digital x-rays done asap. My mare went suddenly lame, I had the farrier and vet out but couldn't find anything, I had one lot of x-rays done... Nothing! Then a friend offered me the chance to have digital (instant on the screen, not have to go away and process) ones done and they found she had broken her pedal bone, 2 months down the line! The vet said it could have just been a freak accident, like stepping on a stone at the wrong angle (she's fine now, all recovered). Have you also considered a splint maybe coming through? They can be very painful to some horses and sometimes don't show straight away?
 
Thanks guys. The vet numbed the foot and slightly up leg yesterday and he was still dead lame so it looks like it is something higher up the leg. They are going to nerve block to start with then go from there. He seemed to canter off into the field no problems this morning but probably just the angle I was standing. Think it's going to be a long week, he goes in Thursday hopefully home Friday.
 
stacey222 said:
I would have digital x-rays done asap. My mare went suddenly lame, I had the farrier and vet out but couldn't find anything, I had one lot of x-rays done... Nothing! Then a friend offered me the chance to have digital (instant on the screen, not have to go away and process) ones done and they found she had broken her pedal bone, 2 months down the line! The vet said it could have just been a freak accident, like stepping on a stone at the wrong angle (she's fine now, all recovered). Have you also considered a splint maybe coming through? They can be very painful to some horses and sometimes don't show straight away?
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A broken pedal bone was responsible for my gelding's sudden lameness too - sound as a pound in walk, in trot very lame - diagnosed by xrays a couple of weeks after the lameness appeared. Again his was an unfortunate accident of stepping on a stone or likewise at the wrong angle and he recovered fully from this after 3 months box rest and a few months of decent remedial shoeing.

If the nerve blocks are indicating something higher up the leg I'd also be inclined to look at the hocks or stifle too.
 
If its an abscess - get your farrier rather than the vet ...

I once had the vet out to a very very lame arab ... spent ages poking about, umming and ahh'ing ... suspected abscess but couldnt find anything but told to poultice... horse still lame and huge vet bill!

Farrier came the day after, found the abscess in under a minute, job done and cost less than £20! Told me an abscess will not just come out with a poultice, needs to be tracked back to find where its coming from .. find the pocket, pop it and then poultice until clear. The gubng that came out was gross and the noise it made when he found it was what you'd expect from a coke can opening ... :eek:

Recently ... my TB also had this - fine in walk, lame in trot .. again turned out to be abscess!
 
Thank you I will keep you posted. It's definitely not in the foot. His hoof and slightly up the leg was numbed yesterday then re trotted him up. He was still as lame as anything. He seems worse on a soft surface and no different on either rein. The lameness is very acute but not 100% consistent. I guess we will see what the nerve blocks tell us on Thursday. He is allowed out as normal at mo and seemed to canter off happily this morning, But he is still so lame in trot I must have been seeing things!!! I wouldn't be surprised if it was stone related, our ground is rock hard and rather stony
 
Well my boy went in today. All X-rays and scans clear so no tendon or bone damage. Looks like either soft tissue damage around Pastern area and they are going to relook at the foot! He has to stay in overnight but hopefully can pick up the beast tmrw eve. It's horrible not having him home, such a worrying day!
 
After another very long day finally got my boy home. Lameness isolated to deep digital flexor tendon sheath (tenosynovitis) no major tears or soft tissue or bone problems. Looking at few weeks box rest followed by 4-6 weeks walk work then hopefully back to normal. Gutted this ever happened but relieved its nothing more serious. Now I need good low sugar ideas to relieve box rest boredom??!!
 
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