Sid's lame am I doing the right thing?

M

mu0ljk

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As the title says Sid is lame. :( It's only noticeable in trot on his right fore - he is just a bit short in trot on it.

I have decided to leave him in (box rest) for a couple of days and reassess on Monday. I noticed it yesterday but it hasn't got any worse today though.

There is no heat or swelling and I am wondering if perhaps it is just a bruised sole as he does have quite tender soles?

Am I doing the right thing or do you think I should get the vet out before Monday? Thanks for your advice

YO thinks I shouldn't leave him in as he can get stiff on his back legs but I'd rather he was a little stiff and be able to walk it off of him than get worse on his lame leg? Or am I thinking a little upside down here?!

Thanks. :eek:
 
Personally, I wouldn't keep him in - I'd not ride him obviously and give him a few days off, but I don't keep Joe in (unless vet specifies). When Joe gets left in he gets stiff and in the past any lameness has been better for being turned out and moving around freely. Just my opinion! I wouldn't worry about getting the vet out before Monday - not unless he's writhing in agony and really hopping around - and you've checked for swelling / heat.

Edited to add: Can you ring your vet for advice instead of calling him / her out?
 
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Trewsers thanks for your advice! I really don't know whether to keep him in or put him out now! I will try and ring the vets but they seem to be engaged each time I have tried! :rolleyes:

But thank-you for putting my mind at rest about calling the vet out! The lameness only shows up in trot and he is bearing weight on it so you are right he isn't in constant agony!
 
If it's engaged perhaps ring another vet for advice?

I personally would turn him out. My mare has bone spavin and gets bute once a day but this only has an effect for a few hours so most of the time she is out lame. She's perfectly fine though. Horses are better walking these things off, but obviously it depends what it is. I would turn him out, give him a rest and if he's still lame by Monday ring the vet out. Is it clicking? Are there any lumps and bumps? Is he barefoot? A stone might have lodged in there at some point or he might have stood on something sharp. Have a look at his sole and frog and check for bruising.

Hope he gets better soon :).
 
Finally got through to them and the vet said to turn him out as usual and then trot him up on Monday morning to see what he's like. If he's no better I'll have to get him over to the clinic for nerve blocking etc! :eek: She said just leave him don't give him anything like bute as I guess that would mask the lameness anyway?

Hope he's ok by Monday because it will be a nightmare trying to arrange an appointment, transport and a time when somebody can come with me (I'll end up forgetting to ask or tell the vet something really important if I'm on my own!)

I asked if he could go out or if he should stay in and she said (after asking if he was a loon in the field! :p ) to turn him out.

I'm wondering if it's just a bruised sole - there is a stoney track which we sometimes go along which he doesn't like (not that we have been up it for a while). Jenren, there's nothing obvious wrong with him. No swelling, heat no stones lodged, not sensitive when I prodded his foot. :confused: I will give the soles a good wash so I can see properly to see if there is any sign of bruising.

Ah well! Thanks for your help Trewsers and Jenren! :)
 
WOW! hooves are such tricky complicated things sometimes.

Of course you know that it could be a number of things. From what you have posted I would rule out a bruise.

I hope that you have the block done it will pin point where the problem is and then your vet will go from there.

Are ya'll in wet conditions? It causing WLD to go practically epidimic around here and WLD can cause lameness.

Are his toes and heals too long? That can create pressure on the laminae and cause lameness

Are there any splits or cracks in the front portion of the hoof? If so, have your farrier trim that area just a bit shorter and roll the hoof wall to relieve pressure.

Have you inspected the frog really well? A nail can get in the frog and with a flap of callas that could be down there you may never see it.

These are only a few thoughts, I hope that your vet gives you encouraging news.
 
Could it be a shoulder problem? Happened to my lad this time last year, I think he slipped up on a patch of wet mud in the field one day. He recovered very uneventfully. The giveaway was a bit of heat just where his shoulder turns into his neck, I missed it because he had a long mane & I thought this was keeping him warm! Doh.
 
I have read the posts. And Good Luck :D Is there any signs of thrush or anything?
Also if i was easier perhaps the vet could come out to the yard to do nerve blocks. (Just wondering when my horse was diagnosed he did all the nerve blocks at home, before he went in for x-rays so he was less stressed)
Anyhoo, Good Luck!
Let us know how it goes.
Sam x
 
Hi everyone!

Well, I didn't trot him up yesterday as I didn't see much point as the vet said wait and see til Monday (he'd either be lame or no and I wasn't going to ride whatever) but YO did apparently and she said he seemed ok yesterday so...fingers crossed he'll be fine today!

I'm not going down till about mid-day when somebody else will be around to see him move too. I shall let you know!

Thunderhost, his feet were only done 2 weeks ago and there are no signs of cracking or anything like that. It's a bit of a mystery. :confused:

Iron Maiden, I have felt from the shoulder down and I haven't noticed any heat - although I did concentrate on the legs rather than the shoulder so I shall have another good feel when I go down later.

But hopefully as YO trotted him up ok (though she admitted she only did it twice) he'll be ok. He's not the sort of horse to go lame which is why I was concerned. :(

Fingers crossed!

Oh, ps Tackroomgang, it would a LOT easier if the vet could come out and do the nerve blocks at home!
 
Any news? HOpe your horse is better soon. Echo getting the nerve blocks done on your yard - less stressful for the horse, we had Joe done on the yard as he doesn't load very well.
 
good news! He seemed fine this morning! I trotted him up and down with no sign of lameness at all - phew!

I won't ride today and I may not have time tomorrow but I shall take him out either tomorrow or Wednesday for a short walk and take it from there. If he goes lame again then I shall get the vet involved. But right now he seems as sound as ever!

Thanks for all the advice everyone - I know I was probably over-reacting - I feel daft now that the lameness has just gone! :eek:

Thanks again!
 
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