Thoughts for my boy please as he gets more xrays done today

[scheherazade]

Beside myself with worry, my beautiful boy went lame 10 days ago, been on box rest, bute and noridine as the vets suspected cellulitis / lymphangitis (he was very poorly) and now although the infection seems to have cleared up and the swelling is minimal, he is still very lame. Vets want to run a second set of x rays now that the swelling has gone down to rule out possible fracture. I have been following their instructions to the letter and just don't know what to do. So this lunchtime I will be loading him up, trying to get a splint on him, and taking him to the vets. Hopefully they will be able to see what is wrong with him.

He has been so tolerant and so patient, even though he has been in a lot of pain. Just want what's best for him and feel so frustrated that I can't help him more and make the pain go away.

Slightly pointless post but feeling very sorry for both of us. Healing vibes please.

Huge cheeseboard, mince pies and festive leftovers on offer x

 

[Ginger_2002]

Fingers crossed! hope he is ok! Keep us posted.. im travelling to kent in afew days so will bring my positive vibes with me all the way xx

 

[Emilieu]

Vibes for him and hugs for you x

 

[measles]

Everything crossed for him.

 

[ISHmad]

Sending very best wishes to you and your boy for today x

 

[scheherazade]

Thank you all, will post an update later this afternoon

 

[scheherazade]

ok so he's now on the lorry on the way to the vets poor boy thought he was going to a party and so very pleased to be going out, despite still being crippled. Am stuck in the office - it's driving me mad, unfortunately there's no-one else to cover so I couldn't get the day off but hoping I will be able to leave a little early

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Fingers crossed for you both.

 

[smellsofhorse]

sending good vibes.

Could they not x ray at your yard to save him traveling?

 

[scheherazade]

sending good vibes.

Could they not x ray at your yard to save him traveling?

He has already been x rayed at the yard, however the ones they have at the vets are apparently a lot more powerful and precise, and I don't know if they will be running any other tests if the x rays are inconclusive. He did have to travel with a splint on though (was great fun trying to get that on once we'd loaded him)

 

[measles]

Let us know how he is - still crossing extremities.

 

[cymro]

fingers crossed for you. any news?

 

[Gingerwitch]

Any news?

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Sending hugs for you and your boy. Hope all is well??

 

[muff747]

Lets hope no news is good news, I'm crossed everywhere xx

 

[scheherazade]

Sorry for the late update all, we are back from the vets, they re x rayed him and still can't rule out fracture, which has really surprised me, I would have thought that after two weeks they would be able to tell if it was a fracture?? He has apparently had a massive trauma to the joint but the vets can't tell if it is a new injury or an old one that has flared up.

On the plus side there is no sign of infection in the joint, however I have to keep him on anti b's and bute for another week and hopefully there will be a big improvement. I also have an anti inflammatory gel (compagel?? Not something I had heard of) I need to apply twice a day. The vet also made reference to having to give him an operation to flush the joint if there is no improvement but he is very reluctant to do this at the moment.

I have been horribly self indulgent and spent the evening sobbing into his mane, he is such a special horse and so tolerant. I'm all wrung out now.

I shall be speaking to the vet again tomorrow as i couldn't take a lot in today, still in shock

 

[Pearlsasinger]

So sorry you still don't know what's going on.
Try to look on the bright side - at least they're not saying its definitely a fracture.

 

[scheherazade]

So sorry you still don't know what's going on.
Try to look on the bright side - at least they're not saying its definitely a fracture.

Thanks, I am rather struggling with the not knowing though, in some ways it would be easier to have a definite diagnosis to get my head round. I'm just going round in circles coming up with all sorts of weird things - a little bit of google is a dangerous thing!

 

[scheherazade]

Update: I have just spoken to the vets and they are quite worried, there is a lot of inflammation around the joint and they are fairly sure he has had some kind of major trauma to the joint. How or when that happened they have no idea as can find no evidence of recent injury (cuts / bruising etc) However at the moment they are still unwilling to completely rule out a hairline fracture and so they are delaying further investigation for another week. Unless there is dramatic improvement in that week they want to do an arthroscopy of the joint, flush it out and clean up any debris that might be in there. They will also be able to find out if there has been any damage to the cartilage, which I am told is irreparable.

In the meantime I just need to carry on walking him out in hand twice a day, hosing twice a day, keep him on bute and noridine and get him as comfortable as possible.

If anyone has any other ideas I would be really glad to hear them, I just want him well again

 

[Emilieu]

Oh I'm sorry I have nothing useful to offer but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry it wasn't better news for you but keep your chin up as things can take turns for the better as well as the worse. Hugs and positive thoughts winging your way, just wish I had more to offer x

 

[Ginger_2002]

Firstly this sounds like a nightmare and im sorry you're going through this. if it is any help my mare had a terrible kick recently and is still on box rest all very stressful and i know the crying into their mane feeling!!

I would be tempted to get a 2nd opinion. I would be worried why they cant see anything and they're saying one thing, then calling you with another. Will the operation defiantly help as they don't seem 100% confident themselves? these are questions I would be asking personally if it was me.Only because i have recently had dealings with a less experienced vet and wasn't very happy with him and now will only deal with the experienced one who i trust completely.

Don't get me wrong im not slating your vet but i don't like the wishy washiness tbh

i hope it works out keep us posted x

 

[scheherazade]

Thanks all, i think the indecision is partly down to caution in case there is a hairline fracture. I think it would be very risky to do the arthroscopy if there is a fracture as apparently the likelihood of him completely breaking the leg is much higher as he comes round from the anaesthetic.
I am not sure about the operation (if indeed he does need it) - I am very worried about putting him through all that

 

[Kamakazegirl]

So sorry to hear about your boy. My old mare nearly had her fetlock joint flushed a few years ago after a mysterious serious swollen fetlock and hot her up to the vets for it when they found the tiniest little scratch which had got infected, so it didbt go ahead.I understand your worry, I was only 17 when this all happened and had never been so worried. Fingers crossed he improves and that it's not as bad as it all seems. Good vibes to you both x

 

[racebuddy]

Sending u vibes , keep us updated x

 

[measles]

How difficult for you. Healing thoughts and supportive vibes.

 

[Rebels]

I had a horse who had an emergency joint flush as he put his water bucket straight into his feltock joint. In the 2 hours between me finding him and calling the vet and his surgery the joint fluid had turned to custard with massive infection. They tidied it up but then he wouldn't eat at all for 5 days after coming round, I was so worried but he came out sound as a pound and passed a 5 stage vet at 16 afterwards so don't despair just yet. I have also got a now retired horse who took 2 years, a bone scan and a MRI to find his pedal bone fracture wait was in such an obscure place. Whatever you do there will be risks, its a case of managing those the best that you can then going for it and not beating yourself up if something does go wrong. My lad took a year to get over the GA in the end.

 

[Nicnac]

Sorry to hear this - which joint are you referring to? (may have missed it but have read back through thread)

Hope your boy gets well again.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

The good news is bone heals stronger than tissue so a hairline isnt the end of the world. Cart damamge can be improved with surgery. Fingers crossed for you

 

[cm2581]

If you have the funds/insurance get an mri scan. That will give you a definite answer without the need for exploratory surgery. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[scheherazade]

Thank you, BH it's his fetlock joint (right hind) He is back at the vets tomorrow for more scans, will update once he has been there xx