Undiagnosed lameness

[claire1976]

The vet spent nearly an hour checking my mare on Wednesday but couldn't find anything. She seems lame from her foot but there's not heat or swelling anywhere on her legs. The farrier has already had a good poke and scrape around to no avail. She's only lame in trot, its not affecting her in walk or canter, she doesn't seem in pain as quite happy to hoon around the field.
I'd already poulticed with no result but vet has asked for 5 days more poulticing and anti inflams, he's coming back on Monday if no improvement to do nerve blocks.
He says there's no sign or tendon or ligament injury - he seemed well and truly stumped!

 

[Sparkly]

Oh dear - nerve blocks are definately the way forward then!!
Around 80% of lamenesses are in the foot, but difficult to find without blocks

Good luck!

 

[claire1976]

If its not an abcess what else could it be?
Thinking ringbone but seems odd that its a sudden lameness, I though ringbone was a gradual lameness.

 

[dixie]

I have the same problem at the moment. He's only lame in trot on the right rein. In a straight line and on the left he is sound.

I am having the vet (2nd visit) and back lady out on Monday as it could be because of his back, but I am not so sure.

Maybe consider a 2nd opinion if an abcess doesn't appear soon or as Sparkly says go down the route of nerve blocking. The trouble with that though is you need to know where to start.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

mine had the same in hind legs - was nerve blocked but still had no idea - sorry negative but true,

 

[RachelB]

Sounds similar to mine, she has been lame nearly 3 months now. It came on suddenly one day, went away, came back for about a month, eventually vet put her on box rest and there was no difference after a week so he nerve blocked her and found it was in the pastern area. X-rays and ultrasound didn't show anything so he prescribed four weeks further box rest. Five weeks later she was more lame, now on both front legs, both still pastern area, navicular was ruled out and he did countless nerve blocks to no avail. Everyone (two vets and my very good farrier and very experienced YO) is totally mystified, and she is going for MRI and possibly bone scans soon.
Good luck finding out what it is, undiagnosed pain making them lame can be a right bugger to sort. I hope you have more luck than me! If not, hopefully if your vet nerve blocks, x-rays and ultrasounds he might have a clearer idea of what is going on in there.

 

[Walder]

same as mine 3 weeks ago - she was box rested and bute for 3 days then in a pen and buted for 5 days then buted and in big field with the others for the last 3 days - have ridden her in walk (not in school) for the last 3 days and did some trot steps this mornng - she is sound - so try not to panic (unlike me who thought the worst) it may just be the hard ground and a few days off may surfice x

 

[claire1976]

I think I've found the abcess. I've poulticed twice a day for 3 days now and yesterday I noticed a suspicious soft spot on her toe that wasnt visable before. I'm really hoping thats it. I've just poulticed again for the night and vet coming back tomorrow. Trotted her up again today and she's now only lame on every 3rd or 4th stride. I'm assuming she's just a bit footsore now as her shoe has been off for a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed that it was the abcess.