Undiagnosed Lameness (still) also in NL sorry

[Archie73]

Horse came in hopping lame right fore last Friday 20th May ,slightly warm cornery band only detectable symptom but may have been due to area being shaven, vet out, hoof tested etc, no reaction. Danilon 1 twice a day until sunday night.

Have hot poulticed until the Monday, vet out again, had a dig all over, no sign of abcess other then same heat in conery band. horse walked out a few strides slightly more comfortable but still about 2/10 lame in walk. vet said hot poultice again until Thursday afternoon.....

Background, Horse has been lame on and off since February so went to horseptail and had HY-50VET and coutisone injection Friday before in same lag pasturn joint after x-rays and ultrasound showed bone growth (tiny) on front of right pasturn but not nerve blocked at all

no abcess seen a week earlier. Horse plays non-stop in field and is 17hh warmblood, not really overweight more out of work.

Farrier came and said no abcess after 5 days hot poulticing. He thought knee or shoulder as did I. Put shoe back on (weds night last week) my boy trotted up sound (after 5 days box rest) I turned him out as vet was due next day and did not want them to say turn out after seeing him sound and he goes lame! So he came in sound after 2 hours having fun with just a few of his mates...lots of trotting 5m circles sntorting and prancing and just the one full gallop on release...

Nest morning he is of course lame again off fore. Called Vet and said please can you come and nerve block as i think its higher up...vet said that they want him back at horsepital to have full nerve block as cant do up to shoulder on yeard and wants lameness expert who noramaly sees him (she does not come out) to do it. They also want him to come when MRI nurse is on site even though I think they can only MRI to knee?? and have said he will need full body bone scan.....horse also has an asymectrical tubar sacrle and his points of hip are set at differnt heights (i know he sounds like a donkey but hes not...)..Every time this vet has seen him, he has been lame in front and when he is lame in front he compensates behind and develops an an odd action behind, however when he is sound in front he moves beautfiuly and very straight, i have tried to explain this but no one seems to listen

I have been told to turn him out and keep him lame until then...another 10days still

Some days he plays more then others (always more then the other 30 he is out with) and comes in worse but each morning he goes out a bit better then when he comes in.

I am waiting to see if the insurance will pay for half MRI (if needed) and bone scan but in the mean time I have booked a thermal imaging company for next week in the interim period just as I am so desperate for a direction to diagnosis....

I am so worried.

Anything anyone can advise, even if just to help me howto go about showing the vet the thermal imaging, or if that is worth it...

thanks again.

 

[chestnut cob]

What is your ground like ATM? Ours is terrible - I wonder if your horse who maybe already has a weakness in that front pastern has jarred himself careering around the field? If he's getting worse when moving around then I'd think you'd want to either keep him in or at least restrict his movement in the field so he can't gallop around.

If it was me, I'd limit his TO and bute every day for another couple of weeks. Mine has been a bit similar to yours - PM me if you want some more details.

 

[Archie73]

What is your ground like ATM? Ours is terrible - I wonder if your horse who maybe already has a weakness in that front pastern has jarred himself careering around the field? If he's getting worse when moving around then I'd think you'd want to either keep him in or at least restrict his movement in the field so he can't gallop around.

If it was me, I'd limit his TO and bute every day for another couple of weeks. Mine has been a bit similar to yours - PM me if you want some more details.

Thanks, the vet has been really specific about him going out as usual and being kept lame and not buted I am in bits as I feel like I am doing everything against sense) I keep him on a farm and at the moment we have no restricted turn out what so ever so its in or out. I have called the vet and they say, even though it seems cruel, keep putting him out.....help, i feel like i am just letting him do more damage.

 

[chestnut cob]

I can see where the vet is coming from because they need to see what is going on but if it was me, I'd insist on an earlier appointment with the vet - use someone else from the practice if need be. Call your vet practice and tell them you want an appointment quicker than 10 days because your horse is lame and in pain.

When mine went lame in front I was told box rest and bute!

 

[Archie73]

I can see where the vet is coming from because they need to see what is going on but if it was me, I'd insist on an earlier appointment with the vet - use someone else from the practice if need be. Call your vet practice and tell them you want an appointment quicker than 10 days because your horse is lame and in pain.

When mine went lame in front I was told box rest and bute!

Thanks, I know its good advice and I did that before I saew this, however as they want to be able to MRI and bone scan all at once and are some distance away, 13th is the best they can do.

My horse is happy ( demonsrated by his ability to be the only horse cantering half pass downhill and the 5 m circles again) and although he is lame (about 2/10) maybe 3/10 some afternoons...he has had box rest at various times, I just wish knew what it is, he has not been as bad as he was on the 20th regardless so I am going to just wait and see. but thanks so much! i hope im doing the right thing but the insurance have me by the short and curlies