Katie May is lame, advice?

MustangKatie · 08-27-2008, 08:02 AM

So Katie May turned up lame last week... (sat the 16th) when i went out to ride her. of course i stoped to inspect what was wrong... it is in her back left leg... her front tendon is swollen and looks to have a kick mark.

sooo, i call the vet. he comes out on tues. watches me r. pen her and then does a flexation test. says that the swollen front tendon shouldn't be a problem because most of the weight barring ones are located at the back. and thinks its her stifle... not BAD though because she wasn't worse after he flexed her. said to put her on bute for 6 days and see how she is, if she is still lame may need to inject

sooo... she is still lame, BETTER but not at the same time... her trot is much better but at the canter she does not want to push off of that hind leg. and throws a fit when i ask her to...

so obviously i will be having a vet out, AGAIN to look at her (tomorrow at 1).. and i am going to have them look at her hock because i think it is there not in her stifle... also if they want to inject her i am **** sure making them x-ray her first because i don't want them to do that and then have it be something completly different...

any one have any ideas what the problem could be or other suggestions that i should have the vet check when he/she comes out?

and just for reference here is my baby...

and w/ my lil bro...

Freedomnchrist · 08-27-2008, 08:12 AM

Good luck with the vet....and my what a pretty girl she is!

KatieMae · 08-27-2008, 08:13 AM

My Thoroughbred mare had a similar issue...

First it started off with a bad hoof trim, which caused her front tendons to swell horribly because she was putting more weight on her front end to compensate for the pain... I had her stand in a poultice wrap for 48 hours, changing the wrap the second night. It took the swelling down.

I also had a vet look at her. After watching her trot, doing flexion tests, blocking nerves, he told me her left stifle looked as though it was weak... He wanted to inject her, as well, but I told him I'd try the less expensive treatment... It's called an Upward Fixation of the Patella. What happens, is when the muscle is weak around the patella, the patella has more room to fixate itself causing the stifle to lock.. A good way to fix the stifle issue is to TROT. Trot until you can't trot anymore... But not in the round pen.. It needs to be straight lines, and if possible, up hills. After weeks and weeks of trotting, her stifles were stronger and she was able to work normally.. I gave this info to GreyDot, who's TB gelding was having a little stifle issue, and she had a successful outcome with Dot.

Hopefully in your mare's case, it's a simple fix as it was with both my mare and GreyDot's gelding...

cameo05 · 08-27-2008, 08:14 AM

I think x-rays are a good Idea.... I would also have them go over that Tendon really well again. She may have pulled, torn or just hurt it and with Tendons, it is not a quick fix. Sounds like you have a very good plan in place already. Just don't ride or work her her until she is throughly checked out please... It doesn't matter if the back tendons are the ones that bear weight or stress.. Any injury is an injury. You know that though, you were probably thinking

BTW she is gorgeous.

**seerfarm** · 08-27-2008, 08:16 AM

It sounds like you are following a good course, it is frustrating as sometimes an initial injury can cause the domino effect and produce something elsewhere.

Until you can get the Vet back out, I might would try cold water hosing from her hip down on the affected side, liniment rub down with massage, soaking from hock down in epsom salt bath and some light stretching.

She may just be sensitive and need some time to work things out...please keep us posted and I hope it is nothing serious.

MustangKatie · 08-27-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatieMae

My Thoroughbred mare had a similar issue...

First it started off with a bad hoof trim, which caused her front tendons to swell horribly because she was putting more weight on her front end to compensate for the pain... I had her stand in a poultice wrap for 48 hours, changing the wrap the second night. It took the swelling down.

hmmm... i did just get her feet done before this happened... and i was NOT impressed with the trim job, needless to say i decided that i would be using a different farrier.... thanks for the info on that i will ask my vet if that could have caused any of the issues that she is having...

MustangKatie · 08-27-2008, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seerfarm

It sounds like you are following a good course, it is frustrating as sometimes an initial injury can cause the domino effect and produce something elsewhere.

Until you can get the Vet back out, I might would try cold water hosing from her hip down on the affected side, liniment rub down with massage, soaking from hock down in epsom salt bath and some light stretching.

She may just be sensitive and need some time to work things out...please keep us posted and I hope it is nothing serious.

thanks i will go give her a good rub down w/ liniment when i go out there in about 30 mins. lol... (good thing shes only ten mins from home)

the vet was actually very impressed that i had him out so quickly said alot of people don't bother so much with lamness and try to let it "fix itself"

i told him that she has never been lame a day in her life and even if its subtle the vet WILL be out because i want to make sure its not something more serious that i don't notice...

i actually cried for about 3 hrs when she turned up lame... shes my baby and it upsets me when she is in pain. lol...

MustangKatie · 08-28-2008, 02:43 PM

so had the vet out...

its a swollen tendon

6-8 mths to get better....

and i have to ask the farm owner if i can switch her to a different pasture because she is not supposed to be in deep sand or hills..
.

grrr.....

kanoo32 · 08-28-2008, 03:01 PM

A swollen tendon

I am a little confused! Do you mean a tendonitis?

MustangKatie · 08-28-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanoo32

A swollen tendon

I am a little confused! Do you mean a tendonitis?

lol..

well swollen torn bruised... etc..

sorry i am used to telling non-horsie people about this so i havn't had to be specific about details...

the vet is just calling it a "tendon injury" because it seems to have come from a kick she recently aquired from one of her lovely pasturemates

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08-27-2008, 08:02 AM
MustangKatie Weanling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern WI Posts: 406	Katie May is lame, advice? So Katie May turned up lame last week... (sat the 16th) when i went out to ride her. of course i stoped to inspect what was wrong... it is in her back left leg... her front tendon is swollen and looks to have a kick mark. sooo, i call the vet. he comes out on tues. watches me r. pen her and then does a flexation test. says that the swollen front tendon shouldn't be a problem because most of the weight barring ones are located at the back. and thinks its her stifle... not BAD though because she wasn't worse after he flexed her. said to put her on bute for 6 days and see how she is, if she is still lame may need to inject sooo... she is still lame, BETTER but not at the same time... her trot is much better but at the canter she does not want to push off of that hind leg. and throws a fit when i ask her to... so obviously i will be having a vet out, AGAIN to look at her (tomorrow at 1).. and i am going to have them look at her hock because i think it is there not in her stifle... also if they want to inject her i am **** sure making them x-ray her first because i don't want them to do that and then have it be something completly different... any one have any ideas what the problem could be or other suggestions that i should have the vet check when he/she comes out? and just for reference here is my baby... and w/ my lil bro... __________________ - My horse is my hero, because she has saved me from many evils in the world. - "Those who do can't explain, those who don't will never understand" ~from my FFA shirt Last edited by MustangKatie : 08-27-2008 at 03:35 PM.

08-27-2008, 08:12 AM
Freedomnchrist Greenbroke Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,312	Good luck with the vet....and my what a pretty girl she is!

08-27-2008, 08:13 AM
KatieMae Greenbroke Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: C.FLA Posts: 3,972	My Thoroughbred mare had a similar issue... First it started off with a bad hoof trim, which caused her front tendons to swell horribly because she was putting more weight on her front end to compensate for the pain... I had her stand in a poultice wrap for 48 hours, changing the wrap the second night. It took the swelling down. I also had a vet look at her. After watching her trot, doing flexion tests, blocking nerves, he told me her left stifle looked as though it was weak... He wanted to inject her, as well, but I told him I'd try the less expensive treatment... It's called an Upward Fixation of the Patella. What happens, is when the muscle is weak around the patella, the patella has more room to fixate itself causing the stifle to lock.. A good way to fix the stifle issue is to TROT. Trot until you can't trot anymore... But not in the round pen.. It needs to be straight lines, and if possible, up hills. After weeks and weeks of trotting, her stifles were stronger and she was able to work normally.. I gave this info to GreyDot, who's TB gelding was having a little stifle issue, and she had a successful outcome with Dot. Hopefully in your mare's case, it's a simple fix as it was with both my mare and GreyDot's gelding... __________________ Slow down, everyone. You're moving too fast.

08-27-2008, 08:14 AM
cameo05 Bombproof Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 8,694	I think x-rays are a good Idea.... I would also have them go over that Tendon really well again. She may have pulled, torn or just hurt it and with Tendons, it is not a quick fix. Sounds like you have a very good plan in place already. Just don't ride or work her her until she is throughly checked out please... It doesn't matter if the back tendons are the ones that bear weight or stress.. Any injury is an injury. You know that though, you were probably thinking BTW she is gorgeous. __________________

08-27-2008, 08:16 AM
seerfarm Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portal, Ga Posts: 7,732	It sounds like you are following a good course, it is frustrating as sometimes an initial injury can cause the domino effect and produce something elsewhere. Until you can get the Vet back out, I might would try cold water hosing from her hip down on the affected side, liniment rub down with massage, soaking from hock down in epsom salt bath and some light stretching. She may just be sensitive and need some time to work things out...please keep us posted and I hope it is nothing serious. __________________ "To know the road ahead, ask those coming back".

08-28-2008, 02:43 PM
MustangKatie Weanling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern WI Posts: 406	so had the vet out... its a swollen tendon 6-8 mths to get better.... and i have to ask the farm owner if i can switch her to a different pasture because she is not supposed to be in deep sand or hills.. . grrr..... __________________ - My horse is my hero, because she has saved me from many evils in the world. - "Those who do can't explain, those who don't will never understand" ~from my FFA shirt

08-28-2008, 03:01 PM
kanoo32 Started Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 2,362	A swollen tendon I am a little confused! Do you mean a tendonitis? __________________ Even if your on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!