Thoughts? Advice? Similar experiences? Ideas?

[martlin]

I'm a bit lost for what to do.
Start with a bit of background:
10 year old WB mare, home bred, never had shoes on, up to about 5/6 weeks ago sound and in medium level work hacking, jumping, schooling etc on all surfaces. Pretty much self trimming with decent foot on her.
6 weeks ago on Wednesday, she came in from the field very lame, barely weight bearing on her right fore. Still lame on Thursday morning, nothing I could find to attribute it to. Vet was due that Friday morning, so I added her to the list of horses to see... she trotted up sound as a pound.
Lame again on Saturday, so I suspected abscess and poulticed accordingly.
5 days of poulticing and nothing to show for it, horse on and off lame, but admittedly not ''dog lame''.
4 weeks ago vet has seen her again as there was no improvement to the inconsistent lameness, examination showed a small splint forming and some pain reaction to hoof testers, but difficult to establish how much of it was bad temper as she is somewhat volatile, especially when off work.
Vet suggested rest to let the splint settle and see if she improves, but also pointed out that she started to load bear on the outside of the foot, which seemed to be causing unlevel wear.
Speed forward to a week ago, on Thursday, my farrier, who is the only farrier she's ever had and knows her inside out agreed with the vet that there seems to suddenly be some unlevel wear to the foot and addressed it with the trim. Immediately after the trim, she started landing square and level and walked out quite well, only to come in very lame that night.
Vet on Friday to reassess found her very lame on right fore, reacting violently to hoof testers, but also lame on left fore. We decided on x-rays all round.
She was nearly sound on Saturday.
This morning vet returned for the x-rays, horse is lame but not crippled, seems worse on the left fore than the right.
Left fore showed some bruising to the sole at the toe, right for looked normal. We've done x-rays and, well, they show nothing. Nothing at all.
The vet suggested to shoe to relieve pressure on the soles and allow the bruising to heal. I'm not keen.
I know that we need the bruising to settle in order to diagnose what else might be going on in the right fore, but I don't believe that putting shoes on is a good idea I'm prepared to maybe put her in hoof boots? But I do know nothing about them...
So, what do I do?

 

[mightymammoth]

I would try a hoof boot to see if she is more comfortable, I *think* bruising can often take a while to heal. I've even used a blue davis boot over a nappy to turnout before when we've dealt with an abscess and it was a godsend. Stayed on despite a lot of mud but obviously she couldn't be worked in a davis boot as they are more bulky.

 

[putasocinit]

Nerve block starting at the foot, wouldnt want to go and damage barefoot feet by sticking nails in just to try to find a reason for the lameness.

 

[martlin]

It's already been nerve blocked and x-rayed, it has been nerve blocked to the foot.

 

[Polos Mum]

Bump for you x

 

[Goldenstar]

Has the horse had an increase or change in work load even a subtle one ?
if the horse is good in the stable I would try a short period of box rest say two weeks with turnout in a school if possible.
boots are a good idea but getting the right one of the shape of foot is not completely staightforward ( my trimmer chooses mine)
however I move my horses in and out of shoes on a regular basis so I would not personally worried by putting shoes on in such circunmtances if the vet recommended it.

 

[martlin]

Has the horse had an increase or change in work load even a subtle one ?
if the horse is good in the stable I would try a short period of box rest say two weeks with turnout in a school if possible.
boots are a good idea but getting the right one of the shape of foot is not completely staightforward ( my trimmer chooses mine)
however I move my horses in and out of shoes on a regular basis so I would not personally worried by putting shoes on in such circunmtances if the vet recommended it.

Hi,
no change in workload prior to lameness, now, obviously she is off work as lame.
Unfortunately box rest is not an easy option, she would have to be sedated and cross tied and I fear she can do herself more damage than it is worth.
I am reluctant to shoe for many reasons, I'm not against shoeing in general, though. I just think, and my farrier agrees, that it isn't a good option for this horse at this point.
I know I sound right dismissive, I don't mean to, but also getting into my reservations about putting shoes on in any sort of depth would take all day.
I had a quick look at some hoof boots on the good old e-bay. Are the cavallos any good?

 

[SusieT]

Personally you need to either box rest (on a deep bed) or shoe/boot to alleviate the bruising. Or turn her out in the school?

 

[martlin]

Yes, I'm edging towards hoof boots really. Just trying to work out which ones I should buy - it's a whole new world out there
Unfortunately turnout in the arena is not possible as there is no fence around it, but she is out in a paddock that is mostly a sand pit with her fat friend (who's feet are just fine and dandy incidentally, lol)

 

[Gamebird]

I think you need a bit more information about what's happening in the foot. Is she insured? Either MRI or CT of the foot would be a good plan.

 

[AmyMay]

Were the x-rays of a really excellent quality - were they digital?

Did she come sound with the nerve blocks?

 

[martlin]

She isn't insured Gamebird, so MRI, while IS an option, needs to wait for the bruising in soles to dissipate, hence vet says shoe and I say boot
Amymay, X-rays were comprehensive and of very good quality, have been consulted over and the consensus is, there is nothing untoward in any of the feet, bone wise, obviously. First nerve blocks made her sound, second lot showed lameness in the left fore, which showed significant bruising. It's been rumbling for a longish time and my vets seem to think that the left fore is just a case of overload as she has been protecting the right fore.

 

[AmyMay]

So sounds like it's a time issue rather than anything serious going on. (although just as an aside, there's not a corn is there that no one's noticed??)

Good luck with the boots.

 

[martlin]

So sounds like it's a time issue rather than anything serious going on. (although just as an aside, there's not a corn is there that no one's noticed??)

Good luck with the boots.

LOL, I wish there was a corn there, really.
I have measured the little darling for boots yesterday, I'll re-measure again today and order them tonight, I think. From what I gather, she should be better in them pretty much straight away? Bruising wise, that is?

 

[Wagtail]

The grass is flushing due to this mild weather on top of rain. I would suspect laminitis, especially as she has bruising. My mare was on off lame when she got it for the first time and the diagnosis was delayed because of it. If it is not laminitis, then it could be a sub solar abscess. They are ******S to get out.

 

[applecart14]

Just out of interest does the horse suffer from sheared heels?http://www.equipodiatry.com/shearhls.htm

 

[martlin]

Just out of interest does the horse suffer from sheared heels?http://www.equipodiatry.com/shearhls.htm

I had no idea what sheared heels were, but reading the description on that website - no, she doesn't suffer from sheared heels.

 

[martlin]

Wagtail, it is highly unlikely it is laminitis, sub solar abscess is one of the possibilities, though.
I know that any horse can get laminitis and all that jazz, but there is a point at which one has to ask: how do you diagnose something if there is no symptoms suggesting that condition? She has some bruising, no heat, no pulses, no changes, no laminitic stance, isn't a likely candidate and not on grass as such...

 

[Wagtail]

Wagtail, it is highly unlikely it is laminitis, sub solar abscess is one of the possibilities, though.
I know that any horse can get laminitis and all that jazz, but there is a point at which one has to ask: how do you diagnose something if there is no symptoms suggesting that condition? She has some bruising, no heat, no pulses, no changes, no laminitic stance, isn't a likely candidate and not on grass as such...

I would have agreed with you a couple of years ago. But my mare's first symptoms were just not being 'off the leg', a bit lethargic. Then two months later she went lame, bi laterally but worse on her right fore. She hadn't been on grass for two months at that time. There was no heat and no pulses. But I'm afraid that it DID turn out to be laminitis. I'm not saying that your mare has it, far from it, but don't rule it out.

ETA: Just has my mare xrayed for the third time in two years and despite suffering from laminitis on and off for two years, she has no bony changes and no rotation. The vet could not find a single thing wrong. Except a tiny gas pocket at the toe which confirmed her latest problem was an abscess. Thankfully, she trotted up sound. But as you know, sub solar abscesses do not show up on xrays. Our vet said he has had countless abscesses to deal with in the past couple of weeks.

 

[Goldenstar]

It might be a good idea to use pads in the boots you can either buy them or make some useing a cheap yoga mat or similar.
I have never used boots 24/7 and would not like to do so , if that what you are planning you will have to watch for and guard against thrush and the boots rubbing .It might be a good idea to spray them a bright colour in case you loose them in the field.

 

[martlin]

It might be a good idea to use pads in the boots you can either buy them or make some useing a cheap yoga mat or similar.
I have never used boots 24/7 and would not like to do so , if that what you are planning you will have to watch for and guard against thrush and the boots rubbing .It might be a good idea to spray them a bright colour in case you loose them in the field.

Thanks Goldenstar, I've ordered the pads and pastern wraps together with the boots. She comes in daily for about 6-7 hours, so I presume I can take the boots off then as she is on a deep woodchip bed?

 

[Goldenstar]

Thanks Goldenstar, I've ordered the pads and pastern wraps together with the boots. She comes in daily for about 6-7 hours, so I presume I can take the boots off then as she is on a deep woodchip bed?

Remove the boots as much as you can.

 

[martlin]

I would have agreed with you a couple of years ago. But my mare's first symptoms were just not being 'off the leg', a bit lethargic. Then two months later she went lame, bi laterally but worse on her right fore. She hadn't been on grass for two months at that time. There was no heat and no pulses. But I'm afraid that it DID turn out to be laminitis. I'm not saying that your mare has it, far from it, but don't rule it out.

ETA: Just has my mare xrayed for the third time in two years and despite suffering from laminitis on and off for two years, she has no bony changes and no rotation. The vet could not find a single thing wrong. Except a tiny gas pocket at the toe which confirmed her latest problem was an abscess. Thankfully, she trotted up sound. But as you know, sub solar abscesses do not show up on xrays. Our vet said he has had countless abscesses to deal with in the past couple of weeks.

I get what you are saying, I really do Not excluding laminitis completely, however, we decided against giving bute as IF it is an abscess, we would rather not dissipate it and prolong the whole rigmarole. Other than the bute issue, all bases are covered here.
If we assume it might be laminitis, nailing shoes on would be even worse idea, no? I sound like a new age hippy, but definitely will give the boots a go, let the bruising heal and then if there still is a problem, we can investigate further.

 

[Wagtail]

My vet has just recommended these: http://www.softrideboots.com
They seem to be the 'thing' in the states. I think I am going to give them a go as my mare's easyboot trails are really bruising her heels now she has to wear them all the time.

Last time I gave in and had shoes nailed on to my mare, she went twice as lame. I think the trauma of the nails just aggravated things.