Uh oh…

[Ladybird L]

Hi all, I’m back again for more advice…
To cut a long story short my pony went lame yesterday evening. We were out having a blast in a (stony enough) stubble field, she decided to surprise me and did a VERY sharp turn. Next thing I knew she was lame on her front right leg(if you’re sitting on her back). Since then I’ve cold hosed, brought her for a short walk, but box rest apart from that. There’s no obvious injury, swelling or heat in the leg (for some reading checking the hoof for heat didn’t occur to me - will do that in the morning). She’s bearing weight. Not off her grub or anything. What would you guess it might be… should I get the vet or give her a cpl if days rest to see if it improves?
Thanks…

 

[GypsGal1718]

Probably on of the sharp stones went right up in her hoof and really bruised it

 

[SEL]

If she's still lame in the morning I'd want the vet to have a look

 

[ycbm]

When mine did that it was the beginning of a big splint started by the sudden sideways movement but it can also be a check ligament and of course a stone bruise if you were cantering on stony ground. You'd be wise to have a vet look if you haven't got obvious heat in the foot today. And whatever symptoms you've got, definitely if she's still lame in a week as treading on a stone can also break the pedal bone.

The question will be whether she shot sideways for no reason or whether she did it because she got a sudden pain in her foot.

I hope it turns out to be something simple like a bruise, or even that she's totally fine this morning.
.

 

[Ladybird L]

Thanks.
GypsyGal1718 I really hope it’s just that…
SEL and ybcm I’ll give the vet a ring. It was more loose stones but sharp I suppose and we have cantered there lots before..
The reason she turned Im fairly sure was the gate lol.. shes a bit of a chancer and she thought she’d try to go home! It’s not the first time she’s done something like that.
Thank you, I’ll be out to check her in 15 minutes so I’ll see how she’s doing.

 

[Pick and mix]

Finger crossed how is she ?

 

[LilMyPony]

Hope she’s ok

 

[Ladybird L]

She’s definitely improving today Shes a lot more active and putting more weight on it. And she was walking her box (as usual) once I took out the bucket to make up her mash, which she hadn’t done since it happened.
Vet said, since she’s improving, give her another day, ring me again tomorrow and we’ll see..

There wasn’t any heat at all.
So looking hopeful??

 

[ycbm]

Sounds hopeful, I'd be interested to see her moving. It's possible, because there's no heat in the leg, that she's pulled a shoulder muscle. I had one do that once when he jumped the wire running up to a gate instead of the gate I put him at in front of him. It was a sideways jump, basically. He had a few weeks off in the field and was fine.
.

 

[Ladybird L]

Maybe I can try uploading a video..
that’s an idea too, well, i guess there’s no way to tell (apart from vet) but I’ll just wait and see at this point!

 

[Ladybird L]

Well have I messed up?
She was improving… slowly.
The general consensus is stone bruise… no one will see her but over the phone different people (vets) have said..
anyway was on the phone to the vet just getting some advice and I happened to mention I had found some meloxicam.. he encouraged me to give her some so I did. Doubting it now?
So I’m turning here for questions - meloxicam is a painkiller right so it’s just going to be masking it? It won’t help it go away? How long should it take to start working and when do the effects wear off? Was it stupid to give her…
I can’t remember what the timeline was the last time but I imagine laminitis and stone bruise would act differently?
Sorry for all the questions…

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Maybe a few days won’t hurt as it will act as an anti inflammatory and take any inflammation down which should make her more comfortable, but if it’s a stone bruise I would expect to see the bruise appearing in the next couple of days anyway. If no better I’d be getting vet to come and reassess. Why are they refusing to come out? When mine did as you described he strained his annular ligament but he did spook violently into a ploughed field which was deep so less likely with yours. Could be a pulled muscle too.

 

[meleeka]

It rarely hurts to treat as laminitis if you aren’t sure, so soaked hay and low sugar feed.

 

[Ladybird L]

Maybe a few days won’t hurt as it will act as an anti inflammatory and take any inflammation down which should make her more comfortable, but if it’s a stone bruise I would expect to see the bruise appearing in the next couple of days anyway. If no better I’d be getting vet to come and reassess. Why are they refusing to come out? When mine did as you described he strained his annular ligament but he did spook violently into a ploughed field which was deep so less likely with yours. Could be a pulled muscle too.

Yeah no sign of a bruise yet. But I read somewhere that it can take months (or a trim) to appear??
They are just super busy I think And since she was improving, I guess it didn’t seem urgent.
Yeah if it was a pulled muscle would the meloxicam do anything? I’m feeling so clueless and helpless and it’s really frustrating.

 

[Ladybird L]

It rarely hurts to treat as laminitis if you aren’t sure, so soaked hay and low sugar feed.

That was a previous time… don’t worry it’s all under control

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Yeah no sign of a bruise yet. But I read somewhere that it can take months (or a trim) to appear??
They are just super busy I think And since she was improving, I guess it didn’t seem urgent.
Yeah if it was a pulled muscle would the meloxicam do anything? I’m feeling so clueless and helpless and it’s really frustrating.

I still think it would do something if it’s a pulled muscle. Yes sometimes bruises don’t appear until the farrier trims. Maybe you could get your farrier out to rule out foot pain?

 

[Ladybird L]

Farrier’s coming out on Saturday! He’s great so I hope that will shed some light..

 

[Ladybird L]

How long does it take the effects of meloxicam to wear off? Just curious..

 

[Ladybird L]

Is there a risk the farrier won’t be able to tell anything because of the meloxicam..

 

[Ladybird L]

Anyone have any idea…

 

[nutjob]

I would get a different vet. If they are refusing to come out and see your horse and advising you to give a drug such as meloxicam particularly if it wasn't originally prescribed for this horse then this is not good. The farrier may be able to find something with hoof testers or may not. I've unfortunately seen a few tendon and ligament injuries with no external signs and with low grade lameness that belies the seriousness subsequently found on ultrasound.

If the horse is still lame after 10 days I would get a vet to actually examine the horse. Nobody knows how much or what the formulation of meloxicam was which you gave to the horse or the body weight of your horse but a quick check shows the half life in the region of 24-36 hours.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Any lameness with no obvious signs I always suspect the foot and hot tub and then get my farrier to check the foot. Annular ligament sounds a possibility but you'd be able to feel that in the leg. I would self medicate with bute for a couple of days but after 10 days would be getting the vet out.