What do you expect from a lameness exam by the vet?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 April 2009
Messages
540
Visit site
As title really. I had the vet to examine my horse last Monday for a mystery front leg lameness. She listened to what I could tell her about the time the lameness presented and everything that had taken place since (ie farrier visits) She then examined both front legs visually taking time to show the student with her what she could see including the scarring to his tendon. (Old healed injury and unconnected to his present problem) She then watched me lunge him on both reins for literally 3 minutes max. About 5 circuits on each rein. My invoice states that I had a 20 to 40 minute lameness exam! Am I right to think that is a little over stating what actually took place or is this about usuall for a first visit? Tbh after this bill I'm dreading having to call them back out as I have serious concerns that my insurance company are not going to want to pay out without a fight!
 
When I've taken horses to equine vet centres for lameness work ups, they have:

Talked to me about the horse, what problem we have, what I want to do with the horse, e.g. jumping, dressage, hacking, and basically anything else that could help pinpoint the problem and determine what the future might hold for us;

Checked the horse over in the stable. Hands feeling all parts of the horses body, with particular emphasis over neck, back, and legs;

Walked and trotted in straight lines on a hard surface;

Flexion tests;

Lunged in the school and on a firmer surface;

Ridden in the school (where the lameness issue has allowed);

Dependent on possible issue, walk up and down steps test.
 
I've never had a referral for a lameness exam, just my regular vet coming to check either for an obvious problem or to discount a physical reason for a behavioural change, but every time the vet has done pretty much the same:

- detailed history
- a good feel of legs, neck, back etc. looking for lumps, bumps, sore points. Also look at teeth. Hoof testers, looking for pulse.
- walk, and trot on hard surface, straight line. Flexion tests. The vet here may stick little tapes as markers to really see the hind leg movement.
- walk, trot, canter on both reins on lunge on surface


If necessary I have also had to lunge walk/trot on a hard surface. If indicated we have nerve blocked different legs/parts of a leg and repeated walk/trot on hard, flexions, lunge.

It usually takes 40mins to an hour to do the exam even if there is nothing wrong by the end of it.

Forgot to say, sometimes I have had to ride as well as we suspected a back problem caused by the saddle so he wanted to check if there was any worsening ridden, if I was causing the problem, etc.
 
Just to add...(sorry I am half asleep this morning!), as you have an actual lameness present I would expect the vet to do a lot more investigating including possible nerve blocks, or to leave you with a plan of action regarding other diagnostic tests, e.g. ultrasound or whatever she thought most appropriate.
 
Thanks for your replies. I'm not sure if I should feel hard done by or not. My horse is still lame, and I think it still looks like a foot/abcess/corn problem. Which is pretty much what the vet concluded but I've been charged £70 for a lameness exam and looking at your replies I'm not sure that is what I got. Whats more I've been charged for more bute than I was given (small thing I know but annoying) So now a week on I'm £115 worse off with a still lame horse and about to arrange yet another farrier visit which arguably I should've done instead of getting the vet :-( Horse's arghhh!
 
I had the same a few weeks ago, the vet spent time chatting about the issue, did flexion tests, trotted her up and then saw the horse being ridden- think he was there for about half an hour in total. He also saw other horses on the yard that day so I should have had a shared call out but got the bill the other day and it was £123!! :eek: Bearing in mind that was with no drugs and no definite answer either!! Hearing that OP's bill was £115 with bute that sounds like a lot doesn't it??!
 
Fairy Dust said:
I had the same a few weeks ago, the vet spent time chatting about the issue, did flexion tests, trotted her up and then saw the horse being ridden- think he was there for about half an hour in total. He also saw other horses on the yard that day so I should have had a shared call out but got the bill the other day and it was £123!! :eek: Bearing in mind that was with no drugs and no definite answer either!! Hearing that OP's bill was £115 with bute that sounds like a lot doesn't it??!
Click to expand...

£123 ouch! I thought I was being overcharged lol! That said I didn't have a call out charge as I booked on a free call out day!
 
I had the same situation, vet looked at my horse ,poked its back, saw me trot 1 20 m circle and charged me £124 for the this!
 
I suppose if the vet found the problem in the hoof that needed the farrier, he would have cut the examination short, so you may not have gotten a full lameness workup. That seems sensible in terms of not carrying out exams your horse doesn't need and then charging you for them.

Unfortunately those seem fairly standard vet charges. I paid 128euros for a 5 minute visit to confirm that indeed the horse had an infected cut plus antibiotics.
 
Thing is the vet didn't advise getting the farrier out. She advised a few days bute and poulticing with sugar and iodine and then apparently I should've been back riding by the weekend. Now the bute has worn off I still have a lame horse and if she is correct in her diagnosis then I have decided my next call should be to my farrier. My horse has had a hot hoof and lameness since his last shoeing and the vet was as sure as she could be that his problem was in his hoof. Specifically the inside of his heel. I personally think she should've taken his shoe off and examined more closely and also for me to poultice but then I'm not an expert.
 
OK I can see why you are not happy, I wouldn't be either. How much do you trust this particular vet? Is there anyone else in the practice, perhaps someone more senior, you could ask out for another opinion?
 
First time I have had a call to use this practice and as a group they come highly recommended. My farrier is coming out tommorrow morning to take the shoe off and he seems to think that the vet didn't take the shoe off because women vets "don't take shoes off" Sexist comments aside I shall be pretty cross if that is the case and my farrier finds something that was missed. However after 3 weeks with a lame horse I now just want him to get better.
 
Pus in the foot is a funny old beast - my OH once found pus in the foot of a farrier's horse - the farrier had looked and couldn't find, couple of days later, OH found without fuss...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top