What do you think this could be? Vet out today.

Birker2020

Birker2020

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My 22 year old mare who I have for 18 years went lame whilst out on a hack on Saturday on the way home. She’s been a on and off for a while with lameness issues which have been treated but has had no deviation in her routine, she is on a sachet of bute a day for arthritic problems which have been diagnosed and treated long ago but leave her a little stiff when she is in the stable during the day. Her digital pulse was checked over a few days last week as I thought she was a little short striding then and nothing was found, no heat, swelling, etc but she currently has a loose shoe. Saturday I hacked out, she always starts off hacks a little stiff but soon loosens up as is the way with her arthritis. I had a couple of short trots one uphill and one around a sharp bend and she was fine, but on the way home after shying at something dramatically in the layby she became progressively lame to the point I had to get off her and walk back. During the hack, she had been through a wood with a stony track and when she pulled up lame I assumed bruised sole.When I got back to the yard I noticed her digital pulse was quite increased on her leg which was the leg she was lame on, nothing at all on the other three. She also has two loose shoes now which is unheard of for her, her feet are very good and she is shod every five weeks on the dot – farrier coming out Thursday. No heat in any feet, only digital pulse in the one leg. No heat, swelling, about 4/10ths lame in trot, 2/10th in walk. Turned her out Saturday but gave her one bute in her feed prior to turn out but gave no additional grazing (she normally has her electric strip grazing pulled out about 2 foot extra grass across 20 metres of paddock, but had had this for many months now), she trotted off and seemed happy enough, and half sachet next mornings feed.
Sunday digital pulse could be felt again (approx. 22 per minute) on lame leg, trotted up and much better probably about 2/10ths lame in trot, but other front leg digital pulse could be felt.No discomfort, foot lifting, laminic stance. Not fat – ribs can be just about seen and definitely felt.
Rang vet Sunday afternoon to take advice, she said by what I described it didn’t sound like laminitis and if I wanted could get vet out that day or wait until day after.Said she felt is was a bruised sole, she could go out on half her normal paddock which is very bare (overnight as usual) as I explained I would rather she was out as she has problems when she stays in and then goes out after any length of time. I soaked her hay for today brought her bed forwards, have not given her her usual carrots, apples and mints for neck stretches. I have a vet’s visit booked for later today, with foot pincers, trot up etc just to be on the safe side.
It doesn’t seem like laminitis to me from my experience of it and last night as I was shortening her paddock and she got a bit near me I gently flicked the electric fencing at her and she reacted by playfully rearing, squealing with leg over head, bucked and trotted off and looked absolutely fine. Eating and drinking fine, respiration rate fine, was going to take temperature but when I came to get my thermometer out of my first aid kit the battery connection inside had rusted up so I was unable to take it!
Please lets not turn this into a ‘you should have got the vet out yesterday’ post, I rang for advice as I have explained. How likely is it to be laminitis?
 
No lambasting from me. Also no pre-empting the vet.

However, don't read too much into digital pulses - they can throb with the best after exercise, after exercise in hot weather, after exercise in cold weather, after a bruise, after a twist or a tweak, after a pull, or a tear, or a sore back, or just in hot weather. Especially in older horses.

If they are bounding, fast, and horse has hot feet, is resting the leg, or starting to roll back onto the heels, then get the vet out immediately.

I know you are keen on answers - but wait for the vet.
 
Thank you for your replies HH and Fiona. I had no idea that all those activities/injuries could cause digital pulses! I wasn't even aware when I asked my physio who happened to be on the yard on Saturday to take a look that a bruise which she thought it could be could cause a raised DP. I am a bit lacking in knowledge, so I will read up.Will be interested to see what the vet says.Glad I didn't panic too much last night and get them out, I would have if she'd have looked laminitic though of course, as I do understand the agony/prognosis etc. Will update tomorrow. And get a new thermometer too!
 
It is NEVER wrong to treat any unexplained footiness as if it was laminitis - until laminitis is eliminated as a cause.

Especially at this time of the year

Spooking can be a sign of low grade intermittent pain too.
 
brucea said:
It is NEVER wrong to treat any unexplained footiness as if it was laminitis - until laminitis is eliminated as a cause.

Especially at this time of the year

Spooking can be a sign of low grade intermittent pain too.
Click to expand...

Exactly this .
If it might be laminitis always treat it as lami better safe than sorry .
And spooking and (problems with travelling ) is often the first sign you get that something is going wrong .
Good luck when the vet comes .
 
Vet came out and did pincer tests said DP not much increased couldnt detect heat but said as other vet said that this is not always reliable anyway. Said reaction to pain in front of foot. Trotted up hardly any lameness but more after flexion. Feels problem is coffin joint and needs nerve blocks and steroid as feels the way horse presents esp on circle indicates coffin joint arthritis. Said she is in very good condition and is a lovely horse. She is going in clinic ltr in week to have them medicated. Most def not laminitis. So relieved she has not got this.Thanks for help.
 
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Goldenstar said:
Exactly this .
If it might be laminitis always treat it as lami better safe than sorry .
And spooking and (problems with travelling ) is often the first sign you get that something is going wrong .
Good luck when the vet comes h
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hopscotch bandit said:
Goldenstar said:
Exactly this .
If it might be laminitis always treat it as lami better safe than sorry .
And spooking and (problems with travelling ) is often the first sign you get that something is going wrong .
Good luck when the vet comes h
Click to expand...

She had never had problems travelling so not sure where this has come from and some horses are more spooky than others regardless, like some humans are more timid or shy than others, again she is not spooky at all, most people like to hack out with us as she is so good on the roads.Like I said the vet who I rang on Sunday doubted very much it was laminitis otherwise I would have taken more precautions other than bringing the paddock forwards 50ft and putting her on soaked hay and not feeding her the usual carotts/mints for neck stretches. And the vet who attended yesterday said most definitely not lami which also proved the point.
Click to expand...
 
UPDATE - My mare has now had her coffin joints medicated, she went to the vets yesterday. The nerve block was a definitive confirmation of coffin joint arthritis.The vet was very pleased how she responded to the block on the lunge and hard ground. One night in and then out tonight, start hacking Monday back to normal work after 10 days. the vet said there is plenty of life in the old gal yet and said how well she looked for her age and type.Thanks everyone.
 
hopscotch bandit said:
UPDATE - My mare has now had her coffin joints medicated, she went to the vets yesterday. The nerve block was a definitive confirmation of coffin joint arthritis.The vet was very pleased how she responded to the block on the lunge and hard ground. One night in and then out tonight, start hacking Monday back to normal work after 10 days. the vet said there is plenty of life in the old gal yet and said how well she looked for her age and type.Thanks everyone.
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Well done to your vet for spotting that so quickly. Fingers crossed she's back to normal soon.
 
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