Unusual lameness - any ideas?

xRobyn

xRobyn

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I just thought I'd have an ask to see if anyone has any similar experience and/or advice. I use the term lame, but some people have said unlevel etc. :o

Phil went lame in the school 3rd November. Trotted up quite lame on the near hind, rested him for a few days, tried turning him out and some box rest and although the lameness was less obvious it was definitely still there. No heat/swelling/injury at any point.

Got the vet down 17th November, showed consistent lameness on both reins on the lunge (just not quite stepping through), slight change when flexioned but nothing significant. He reacted to pressure on his stifle and vet was sure it was a joint, but aside from that unsure. He tested his hoof too just in case but no reaction. Two options, turn away for 3 weeks and bute to see if he recovers or go straight in with xrays etc. Vet said he would be happy to turn away with no exercise, turnout as usual and 2x bute daily for one week, followed by 1x bute daily for the next two weeks, so that's what we did. I 'lunged' him to assess the lameness on 26th November and there was marked improvement but he still wasn't right, picking the near hind up quicker but definitely stepping through more, of course this could be the bute masking so I did nothing with him until today. He finished his last bute sachet on thursday (8th) so hopefully no masking. There is a definite improvement, he is nearly (if not) sound on the left rein on the lunge, but showing maybe 1/10th lameness on the right rein.

My big issue now is that he is still dropping his left hip when he trots away. Fine in walk, over tracking etc and the hip drop is much less obvious, but it's still there.

I've found something that someone posted on a forum years ago and it sounds similar to what I'm dealing with at the moment (theirs was hind limb suspensory problem) so I just wondered if anyone had any experience with something similar?

I'll be calling the vet again on monday to see what he says. I'm hoping that because there has been some improvement it's nothing serious, but I have to be realistic. :(
 
Can't give you any help re diagnosis without seeing him move. Before moving on to x-rays, scans etc I would get his back and pelvis checked. I am sure there are people on here who can point you in the right direction of a good physio in your area.
 
I was going to mention this to the vet and see if I could get a physio down before going down the scanning/blocking route. I have videos from the original lameness and from two weeks ago, will PM them if you'd like to see. I also have short clips from today but they're not sorted yet.
 
It doesn't sound like an unusual lameness, reaction to palpation of the stifle area could be a red herring as many horses object to being prodded in that area. If he was mine I would get him nerve blocked to establish where the pain is coming from, rather that spend more time and money and not actually know what you are dealing with. Horses that are lame behind often become sore over their back and pelvis area because they are not moving symetrically and are not as free moving because they hurt, so a physio would probably be treating the symptom and not the cause of the lameness. Golden rule, start from the bottom and work up as it is more likely that the pain is coming from the lower limb or hock than higher up. Good luck
 
Well it's unusual to me. Luckily (or maybe not since I don't have the experience!) I've not had to deal with many injuries, even less any lamenesses that weren't caused by obvious injuries. I'm petrified I'll do something wrong in the long run :(

But I shall be speaking to the vet tomorrow, I'm hoping that because there has been some improvement it's a good sign but I'm not very optimistic :o
 
spavins? Mine was much the same. Sore over back and dropping a hip but no swelling/heat. They did never blocks and found the pain was coming from her hock and when they blocked the hock she was lame on the other side. This indicated spavins and she was injected with steroids. I would just go and get a lameness work up done then they will know where the pain is coming from and go from there.
 
I would get a lameness work up done too. the hip hikes indicate lameness! And I'd say you need to find out what's wrong as turnout can make some problems worse in the long term.
 
Little MJ, I saw that it was a hike that indicated lameness, he is dropping the hip of the lame leg :confused:

Calling the vet after work :)
 
Two little updates, he had a full lameness workup just before christmas. Nerve blocks showed no change until they blocked his SI joint. From that he showed 50% improvement so he was given a steroid injection to treat with the vets warning that may not be it, but the recovery period would allow them to see if it was or not. He's had 6 weeks paddock rest and hasn't come sound. Had the vet yesterday for his jabs and a check up, so the next stage is off to Newmarket for a bone scan.

I'm gutted, I got him back in June after 3 years at university. Between July-October we did everything I never would have imagined, nothing compared to what people on this forum have done, but all major things to me. I was scared to jump 1'6", by the end of summer we had cleared 3ft, he was just getting there with working happily and comfortably on the bit and we had conquered our fear of hacking but hey, ***** happens. I just hope we find out what's wrong :(
 
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