Lameness issue

SilverLexi · 06-24-2008, 04:45 PM

Last week while I was lunging my paint mare I noticed a slight soreness on her left front. I checked the leg, picked the hoof etc couldn't find anything so put it down to probably a stone bruise. I let her rest the leg for a few days.

Two days later she was very noticably lame on that leg. Again, checked for swelling, soreness had a couple knowledgable people check her and still nothing could be found. So I figured she was working on an abcess and watched her closely for a few day waiting for the abcess to show itself. Still nothing after 2 days.

Yesterday I loaded her up and off to the vet we go. Well ****, She couldn't find anything either. She used the pinchers on her hoof and not even a slight flinch from my mare.

So to make a long story short, I have a very lame mare with no signs or symptoms of anything wrong except a noticable limp. If she is not any better in lthe next little while I am going to take her to the equine clinic in Lloydminster(for you albertans).

BTW the vet prescribed NO WORK just rest for the next 3 weeks with a regiment of bute. 5 days on 5 days off.

Does anyone have any suggests on what MIGHT be happening???

luckierthanhelooks · 06-24-2008, 06:16 PM

did the vet do nerve blocks? Xrays... nerve blocks... start low and keep blocking areas until the horse gets sound.. then you know the area you are dealing with and can xray and or ultrasound to see what is going on.. I would take her to a new vet that can actually diagnois the problem.

cameo05 · 06-24-2008, 06:25 PM

Could she be brewing up an abcess? I have one that we didn't even know was abcessing until the ferrier came and done his hooves. As he trimmed they showed up.

Just_Another_Love007 · 06-24-2008, 06:28 PM

maybe soak in some ebsom salt and warm water. then possibly the abscess will appear and pop. we do that for our gelding who always finds things to hurt himself on and we do it for about a week or two until he stops limping then he do it about 3 days after that and watch him carefully.

luckierthanhelooks · 06-24-2008, 06:30 PM

absesses will usually show up on xrays..

SilverLexi · 06-24-2008, 07:56 PM

If things do not improve soon I will be taking her to get xrays etc done. It (as always) comes down to the almight dollar. I start back to work tomorrow and with the overtime they scheduled me for I will not have time to take her until next Monday. At least its pay day. My daughter will be keeping a close eye on her also when she does the AM chores.

The first thing I thought of was an abcess brewing but was told that there should be at least a little sign of soreness or swelling.

BTW I had the farrier pull her shoes when she got so sore and he said he saw nothing happening. But I have no trouble getting a second opinion.

cameo05 · 06-24-2008, 08:14 PM

Sounds like you are doing eveything needed. That is great. Sometimes it takes longer than a few days before an abcess will show up. I have had this recently happen with a draft rescue that I have. It was a whole new ballgame for me

luckierthanhelooks · 06-24-2008, 09:18 PM

if she got sore right after a shoeing she could have a hot nail. Hoof testers arent a 100 percent accerate diagnostics tool, because horses react differently to pain/pressure. One horse could be being a "good girl" and tolerating it while another could be "oh my god what is this pressing on my foot"

AlbertaGirl · 06-25-2008, 12:05 AM

Does she ever pull back when tied? If she had, I wouldn't be surprised if it had to do with that (pop the poll, or atlas out when they pull back, and often the hip and a shoulder will come out, and the symtoms will be JUST as you described). If if she doesn't pull back, she still could've hurt herself in the pasture, gotten caught somewhere, etc.

My suggestion would be to get her to an equine chiropractor, or have one come to you. I swear by them!

fishing_trex · 06-25-2008, 05:55 PM

My mare was doing the same thing and it turned out to be her shoulder/back.

SilverLexi · 06-25-2008, 09:20 PM

I do have a massage therapist coming out to do another treatment on my other girl. I think I will just have her work on Chy also. She did seem a bit better today though but she is on paddock rest for the next while.

I will keep you updated on things. Thanks everyone with your responses all are helpful.

dodib · 06-26-2008, 03:30 PM

This is exactly how all the issues with my daughters mare started. Slight very slight off-- then slightly lame-- thought it was a stone bruise rested her--still lame-- took her in to the vet wasn't her hoof at all-- it was her shoulder. Vet did the pinch thing on her hoof then did nerve blocks starting with her hoof and went up... thats how we knew it was her shoulder. She had xrays--foot, knee and shoulder --all showed NOTHING. This was last spring. Did cortisone, chiropractor, rest for an entire year, special shoes and she is still not sound!! Vet thinks its bursitis..........

I sure hope you have better luck than we did

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Scout update on lameness issue	montanagirl	Health & Nutrition	0	12-28-2007 10:36 AM
lameness	Skylight	Health & Nutrition	7	12-02-2007 03:36 PM
Does a head bob always indicate lameness?	early_bp	Health & Nutrition	8	03-26-2007 08:29 PM

06-24-2008, 04:45 PM
SilverLexi Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 158	Lameness issue Last week while I was lunging my paint mare I noticed a slight soreness on her left front. I checked the leg, picked the hoof etc couldn't find anything so put it down to probably a stone bruise. I let her rest the leg for a few days. Two days later she was very noticably lame on that leg. Again, checked for swelling, soreness had a couple knowledgable people check her and still nothing could be found. So I figured she was working on an abcess and watched her closely for a few day waiting for the abcess to show itself. Still nothing after 2 days. Yesterday I loaded her up and off to the vet we go. Well ****, She couldn't find anything either. She used the pinchers on her hoof and not even a slight flinch from my mare. So to make a long story short, I have a very lame mare with no signs or symptoms of anything wrong except a noticable limp. If she is not any better in lthe next little while I am going to take her to the equine clinic in Lloydminster(for you albertans). BTW the vet prescribed NO WORK just rest for the next 3 weeks with a regiment of bute. 5 days on 5 days off. Does anyone have any suggests on what MIGHT be happening???

06-24-2008, 06:16 PM
luckierthanhelooks Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: washington Posts: 118	did the vet do nerve blocks? Xrays... nerve blocks... start low and keep blocking areas until the horse gets sound.. then you know the area you are dealing with and can xray and or ultrasound to see what is going on.. I would take her to a new vet that can actually diagnois the problem.

06-24-2008, 06:25 PM
cameo05 Bombproof Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 8,694	Could she be brewing up an abcess? I have one that we didn't even know was abcessing until the ferrier came and done his hooves. As he trimmed they showed up. __________________

06-24-2008, 06:28 PM
Just_Another_Love007 Weanling Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: florida Posts: 404	maybe soak in some ebsom salt and warm water. then possibly the abscess will appear and pop. we do that for our gelding who always finds things to hurt himself on and we do it for about a week or two until he stops limping then he do it about 3 days after that and watch him carefully.

06-24-2008, 06:30 PM
luckierthanhelooks Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: washington Posts: 118	absesses will usually show up on xrays..

06-24-2008, 07:56 PM
SilverLexi Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 158	If things do not improve soon I will be taking her to get xrays etc done. It (as always) comes down to the almight dollar. I start back to work tomorrow and with the overtime they scheduled me for I will not have time to take her until next Monday. At least its pay day. My daughter will be keeping a close eye on her also when she does the AM chores. The first thing I thought of was an abcess brewing but was told that there should be at least a little sign of soreness or swelling. BTW I had the farrier pull her shoes when she got so sore and he said he saw nothing happening. But I have no trouble getting a second opinion.

06-24-2008, 08:14 PM
cameo05 Bombproof Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 8,694	Sounds like you are doing eveything needed. That is great. Sometimes it takes longer than a few days before an abcess will show up. I have had this recently happen with a draft rescue that I have. It was a whole new ballgame for me __________________

06-24-2008, 09:18 PM
luckierthanhelooks Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: washington Posts: 118	if she got sore right after a shoeing she could have a hot nail. Hoof testers arent a 100 percent accerate diagnostics tool, because horses react differently to pain/pressure. One horse could be being a "good girl" and tolerating it while another could be "oh my god what is this pressing on my foot"

06-25-2008, 12:05 AM
AlbertaGirl Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 3,263	Does she ever pull back when tied? If she had, I wouldn't be surprised if it had to do with that (pop the poll, or atlas out when they pull back, and often the hip and a shoulder will come out, and the symtoms will be JUST as you described). If if she doesn't pull back, she still could've hurt herself in the pasture, gotten caught somewhere, etc. My suggestion would be to get her to an equine chiropractor, or have one come to you. I swear by them! __________________ Some people say horses don't have a sense of humor... they obviously haven't met mine yet ;o)

06-25-2008, 05:55 PM
fishing_trex Long Yearling Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,302	My mare was doing the same thing and it turned out to be her shoulder/back. __________________ -- There are two ways to slide easily through life -- to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways will save you from thinking.

06-25-2008, 09:20 PM
SilverLexi Halter broke Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 158	I do have a massage therapist coming out to do another treatment on my other girl. I think I will just have her work on Chy also. She did seem a bit better today though but she is on paddock rest for the next while. I will keep you updated on things. Thanks everyone with your responses all are helpful.

06-26-2008, 03:30 PM
dodib Started Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ravenna, MI Posts: 2,568	This is exactly how all the issues with my daughters mare started. Slight very slight off-- then slightly lame-- thought it was a stone bruise rested her--still lame-- took her in to the vet wasn't her hoof at all-- it was her shoulder. Vet did the pinch thing on her hoof then did nerve blocks starting with her hoof and went up... thats how we knew it was her shoulder. She had xrays--foot, knee and shoulder --all showed NOTHING. This was last spring. Did cortisone, chiropractor, rest for an entire year, special shoes and she is still not sound!! Vet thinks its bursitis.......... I sure hope you have better luck than we did __________________ Dorthy www.freewebs.com/brownranch/