bubbilygum
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have any experience/advice on this please? My 24 year old gelding has been stiff all summer, initial vet said given his age and that he loosened up reasonably quickly when walked out of his box that it was probably arthritis, and gave me bute for when he was particularly bad/before farrier etc. Over summer his condition stayed generally the same, hes kept on very restricted grazing and was out overnight in a small paddock. Two weeks ago he started to look a lot more lame behind, particularly on his right hind. Got a different vet out, nerve blocked his right hind between Pastern and hock, which gave some improvement but really not much at all. Two days later he went into the vets for a lameness workup, and x-rays showed pedal bone rotation in both fronts (LF 3.5 degrees, RF 5.5 degrees) and his left hind (13 degrees) but none in his visibly lame right hind. The vets also x-rayed his joints in his right hind and found nothing at all, no arthritis whatsoever. Came home with a prescription for box rest, bute and a remedial farrier for a trim this week and heart bars in a couple of weeks time. Farrier came today and basically said if we cant resolve the problem in his right hind, which he rests constantly, then the prognosis for recovery of his left hind (with the 13 degree rotation) is really poor as he has weight in it all the time. I am arranging for the vet to come again this week and will be asking for more advice but Im feeling quite dejected by it all and Im not really sure what to ask the vet or how to proceed 😞. Really worried that unless we can find some miracle cure for the right hind his pedal bone will come through his sole on his left hind and I dont want him to be in any more pain than hes already in. Hes quite happy in himself, enjoying his big bed and tiny haynets. Any advice welcome. Im currently just treating it like any other laminitic episode as Im not sure what else to do 😞