Correlation between lameness in two hooves in short time span?

[shadesofbay3]

i apologize in advance if this is a stupid question -.-

2-3 weeks ago my horse got acutely lame (coincidentally after a pretty nasty trip on a trail ride around the property)… vet came out, pulled shoe, she was positive to hoof testers, warm hoof and digital pulse… weird how it appeared but suspected either a stone bruise or abscess that was brewing… it got better, then came back then got better. never saw it actually burst in the wrap, minus some blood from the vet’s tract… farrier thinks it might have been damage to the sole rather than an actual abscess … this was her LF

anyways, today i get a text that she is off on her LR! she went out sound and came in 4-5/5 lame, per the vet when he came. negative to hoof testers this time, only slight pulse and heat. vet again suspects abscess. same therapy as before, touch base if she’s not better by monday.

she’s a TB, so hoof problems obviously not out of the ordinary and it is that time of year (?)… additionally she’s older (25) and has cushings so that all plays a part, but this long novel is to ask if these two lamenesses are coincidental and bad luck or if they could be related in someway and i need to be digging deeper… i was concerned about laminitis the first go round but my vet said her symptoms weren’t the right kind for laminitis. we were also going to do rads of her legs to rule out any injuries but the pain was so obviously in her foot we decided to wait

just want to make sure i’m not overlooking something i should be getting looked at

[trubandloki]

Doing X-rays is never a bad thing so why not do those, including the hooves, and that will give you some ideas if you need to worry more or not.

Having had a horse that liked to get very creative with their hoof abscesses, I do not find it weird that a horse would get two random hoof abscesses.
But, I am all for making sure there is not something else going on.

[ladipus]

I would suspect laminitis as a possibility…only way to rule that out is by X-rays of the feet , another possibility could be a Keratoma -they often can present with on/off lameness …again X-rays can can show you …even if abscess , foreign body? Fracture etc …I would also pull blood for a metabolic panel and check (insulin& glucose for IR) , acth for Cushings and Lyme to be thorough.

[greywithchrome]

Is LR supposed to be RF? I read LR as “left right” lol.

I personally would suspect laminitis, especially with the time of year (seasonal ACTH rise) and the fact that she already has been diagnosed with cushings.

[shadesofbay3]

LH this time… doesn’t laminitis normally only affect front feet? today she is apparently sound so maybe stone bruise ?

[shadesofbay3]

i meant LR as left rear sorry lol

[Cassi1125]

One of my horses had a trip, kicked his heel and hooked a front shoe with a hind foot. Ended up it was a cracked bar. Took a while, but healed fine.

[cayuse]

With the Cushing’s I’d suspect laminitis too. My pony presented as intermittently lame in only one foot, then it progressed to the others He also had lami in his hind feet. It’s not as common for the hind feet to be involved, but it does happen.

[shadesofbay3]

did you get x-rays to diagnosis? vet doesn’t
suspect laminitis

[cayuse]

Yes we did.

[TWH_Girl]

I definitely agree this could be low grade laminitis. My old guy had Cushings and repeated abbesses and he ended up having laminitis which did not resolve. It was mid October. I’d take horse off grass if she’s on any, and get some X-rays. Maybe start Equioxx (new generic is now available!). Being proactive vs reactive makes a world of difference. Sending jingles for your sweet senior.