Disclaimer: Horse will be going to Rood & Riddle (again) if no changes in next day or so.
Horse: 14 y/o upper level eventing horse. 17+hh, thoroughbred, gelding. When sound, 100% on all flexions of front and hind limbs. Not routinely injected, hocks were x-rayed a few years ago and joints look lovely.
Lameness is recurring, third year in a row now, always in the mid to late summer, always comes on when the horse is in the stall, 3 out of 4 times because of a missing front shoe (could be unrelated to the shoe, as the missing front shoe is the reason that he’s in the stall and not turned out…he wears wedges in front and has crappy heels, so when he does (infrequently) toss a front shoe, he stays in until it goes back on).
Note: None of the following lameness incidents were ever definitively “solved,” all treatments were different, and the end result was always the same – sound horse in a few days to a week, lameness did not recur soon after.
Lameness #1: Horse comes in from night turnout as normal. Several hours later, is lame in the stall, pointing RF when at rest and noticeably lame at the walk. Likes to stand with RF forward, resting on toe, but will also stand with RF underneath shoulder, knee flexed, toe resting on the ground. Local vet is called, cannot find anything other than some scrapes and minor swelling around said scrapes, on the RF forearm. Treat as though it is cellulitis from scrapes (horse is prone to this) for a few days, horse comes sound, life goes on. Treatment was cold water hosing, NSAIDs, antibiotics. Did not originally associate this with following year lameness, lameness #2 as described below.
Lameness #2: The summer after lameness #1 (last summer). Horse gets abscess, treated, but horse still iffy. Horse goes to Rood & Riddle. Day 1, hoof tests positive, blocks to the foot, assume abscess is not completely done. Stays in stall at R&R for two days. On last day, horse is very lame again, same as described in lameness #1. Does not block to the foot anymore. X-rays of hoof are normal. R&R vet consults R&R podiatrist, agree that there is a chance the abscess has traveled into the joint and that is why we can no longer get a complete block on the foot. Culture the coffin joint, but in the mean time, start a week of regional perfusions. Perfusions make horse sound! But, culture of joint comes back completely normal. Horse remains sound for another month, though left on stall rest, as R&R vet is stumped and wants to be on the safe side.
Lameness #3: After being on stall rest for several weeks, soundly, horse goes lame again one morning. Same as described above. Goes back on the trailer to go to Rood & Riddle. X-rayed and blocked entire RF limb, hoof to shoulder. Blocks 20% to the knee, the rest of the way to the shoulder. Shoulder is investigated further, no real answers, a moderate amount of bicipital bursitis is found but should not cause that degree of lameness. Shoulder and knee are injected, a few days of NSAIDs, and horse comes sound again. Stays sound all winter, flexes 100% on all limbs again, stays in full work all winter and spring. Has been fine up until now.
Lameness #4: This weekend. Lost LF shoe in pasture Friday night, was doomed to stall rest for the weekend until the farrier comes today. Fine Saturday and Saturday night, lame on RF as described above by mid-day yesterday. Got progressively more lame as the day went on. For the sake of trial, I put a soft ride boot on the foot with the missing shoe, and hopped on him last night – wondering if he’s better off moving around than staying in the stall. Got on, horse went markedly lame a few steps after mounting, then walked soundly for 15 mins. Tried the trot, lame the first circle both directions, then 100% sound to the right, sound to the left when I trotted on the INCORRECT diagonal, but lame to the left (on the RF) when I post on the correct diagonal. After work, stood in the crossties with full weight on both legs, until I removed soft ride boot to bathe him, then rested RF for the remainder, with and without soft-ride.
Horse had all legs wrapped last night and soft-ride boot on. Given NSAIDs. Back and neck all palpate fine with no obvious soreness (horse LOVES to be curried, even with a spiky curry comb). About to head that way this morning to see if he’s sound or not. Have R&R vet ready to look at him if not sound…I cannot afford an MRI, but will do most other regular diagnostics. Just getting frustrated at this point of this being repeated, with no answers, and stumped vets at one of the best vet clinics in the country. Any other ideas??? :no:
