undiagnosed lameness?

[itsapiebald]

Just want to know what people's opinions are of this...

my horse has hock lameness
he has no heat
no swelling
nothing showing up on X rays other than the possibility of mild arthritis.

But when he is lunged he gets worse -doesn't quite add up with the arthritis.

The lameness is only very slight - vet couldn't see it the first time we trotted up

Got the vet involved but trying to work out what to do next!!

Anyone had anything similar?

 

[ycbm]

Arthritis in the hocks starts with deterioration of the cartilage which does not show on x rays. I think you probably already have the answer.

 

[itsapiebald]

Arthritis in the hocks start ration of the cartilage which does not show on x rays. I think you probably already have the answer.

Thank you for your reply, my only worry is that it doesn't ease with exercise and if it is arthritis it should ease

 

[PorkChop]

Was it diagnosed with a block to the hock? Ie unless the hock was nerve blocked and horse went completely sound you can't be sure.

However if you have done nerve blocking, have they not recommended steroids into the hock?

 

[ycbm]

Thank you for your reply, my only worry is that it doesn't ease with exercise and if it is arthritis it should ease

Mine didn't. He developed external lumps after a while, but never showed much on x rays. Riding him, which was done throughout in order to try to cause fusion, didn't alter his lameness on any one day at all. He did eventually come sound after three years, but was not repeat x rayed so I don't know what would have shown at that point as he wasn't with me then.


I thought it was regular exercise that made an arthritic horse less lame, not that lameness wore off on any particular day. I would associate that with a soft tissue injury, not a arthritis. That was my experience, anyway.

I hope yours is as simple as that.

 

[itsapiebald]

Arthritis in the hocks starts with deterioration of the cartilage which does not show on x rays. I think you probably already have the answer.

[QUsteroids 13229275]Was it diagnosed with a block to the hock? Ie unless the hock was nerve blocked and horse went completely sound you can't be sure.

However if you have done nerve blocking, have they not recommended steroids into the hock?[/QUOTE]

They did nerve blocking but because he is so thick skinned (traditional cob) they couldn't get it into the joint so it didn't have much effect, that would be the same with the steriods

 

[itsapiebald]

Arthritis in the hocks starts with deterioration of the cartilage which does not show on x rays. I think you probably already have the answer.

Mine didn't. He developed external lumps after a while, but never showed much on x rays. Riding him, which was done throughout in order to try to cause fusion, didn't alter his lameness on any one day at all. He did eventually come sound after three years, but was not repeat x rayed so I don't know what would have shown at that point as he wasn't with me then.


I thought it was regular exercise that made an arthritic horse less lame, not that lameness wore off on any particular day. I would associate that with a soft tissue injury, not a arthritis. That was my experience, anyway.

I hope yours is as simple as that.

Hopefully it will be that simple x

 

[PorkChop]

[/QUOTE]

They did nerve blocking but because he is so thick skinned (traditional cob) they couldn't get it into the joint so it didn't have much effect, that would be the same with the steriods[/QUOTE]

First time I have this, quite surprised tbh!

 

[itsapiebald]

First time I have this, quite surprised tbh![/QUOTE]

The vet was just as surprised!

 

[itsapiebald]

Might sound like a stupid question...Considering there is no swelling or heat could it be a tendon injury?

 

[old hand]

I suspect it is the arthritis, and some horses feel pain more than others. I think we have all heard of horses that don't go lame until they are absolutely crippled and others with that are very lame and only show mild changes on x rays. I found one in the field with his front foot in the air , got up to him and he had a tiny cut about an inch long, I cleaned it up and put some cream on it for him and he was then sound as a pound. he didn't do pain at any level. They are all different.

 

[itsapiebald]

I suspect it is the arthritis, and some horses feel pain more than others. I think we have all heard of horses that don't go lame until they are absolutely crippled and others with that are very lame and only show mild changes on x rays. I found one in the field with his front foot in the air , got up to him and he had a tiny cut about an inch long, I cleaned it up and put some cream on it for him and he was then sound as a pound. he didn't do pain at any level. They are all different.

That has stopped me worrying a bit! !

 

[SusieT]

get another vet.. it's not 'thick skin' that means they can't get into the joint its lack of skill..

 

[Bernster]

get another vet.. it's not 'thick skin' that means they can't get into the joint its lack of skill..

I'd be thinking this too. at least get a second opinion from a specialist vet on whether this sounds plausible. It doesn't to me!

 

[BDyasmine]

OCD? mine had OCD in stifles and got worse with work - she'd be sound if she had a couple of days off but got more lame the more work she did. only ever very slightly lame though and as was bilateral took a long time for a vet to even diagnose her as being lame.
but could literally be anything, thats just my experience haha! and think OCD is less common in cobs than it is in warmbloods (i could be wrong, just i have only ever met warmbloods with it!!)
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