Even just the lateral views will tell you a lot re rotation, sinking, angles etc
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I’d soak the foot (all feet, actually) and thoroughly clean it so that you can see it clearly, and do x-rays for sure.
If there’s scarring/defect at the coronary band, that can cause instability and uneven loading of the hoof wall, causing the damage to progressively get worse. A skilled vet and farrier team will probably be needed if that’s the case.
Lucky boy to have found his way to you! Fingers crossed that you’re able to get him back to good health soon.
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ACTH normal so we will see what the door views tomorrow show us… 
I just get the sneaking feeling I’m about to learn some new information about horse feet via phone call from the vet tomorrow, but hopefully I’m wrong.
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Ask to start with just a lateral. When my mare got laminitis we did one view per foot, just to see what it looked like in there. When no rotation was seen we just skipped any other views.
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I think that’s the plan and then the ones where there’s some concern about more abscess tracks etc then we may do more. Rehab vet sent this video of him eating his slop, and initially I thought he was paying because he enjoyed his food so much but now I’m wondering if his feet are just really uncomfortable.
IMG_5449
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I swear he looks better already. We used Wolf Wear Medical Boors on a laminitic horse. They worked better than Softrides. We also used them on one who came in from a far where he’d not had good hoof care and was walking on his sole. I hope he’s just excited to eat!
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Some horses do that when their teeth hurt and they are frustrated by it.
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He was out in a herd right? It could be a little left over food protective behavior. I’ve only really seen it with younger horses (though way past the foal herd stage) who were lower on the hierarchy. Might not hurt to put him in boots or bed more deeply.
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Can they elevate his food for the time being and get him in some soft rides?
He could be sore just due to changing his angles. His feet looked rough in your original pictures.
Could be just his eating style though but looks like he shifts his front until he rocks back on his hind end.
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I can not believe how much better he looks already. Wow!
If he was mine I would start with hoof rads. The only thing that can hurt is your wallet, it will do not harm to him and it might give you lots of new information.
To me the pawing while eating could be so very many things that I would not assume it was because his feet hurt too much.
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That’s great news though. Cushings is so hard to manage, just celebrate this win.
He does look better already.
I say treat what is in front of you, and don’t worry about what you don’t know yet. My TB mare came to me in a pretty deplorable state; she was in foal and very thin. She snatches her food and makes ugly faces and drops half of it. I thought it was because she was starved, resource guarding and then thought teeth, and then worried about ulcers. 18 years later and she still does it. Who knows why?
I just ignore it now. She’s sound, fat (ish, for a 28 year old TB) and living the life. All good.
The foot is gnarly but a good cleaning, trim and just correcting it as it grows out might be all it needs.
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That almost looks like a stereotypy, but could also be weight shifting to relieve discomfort.
If he only does to eat his mush and not when eating hay at floor level, you’ve got yourself a horse who is excited about his delicious snacks.
You could double check with the rehab centre to ask if he starts doing it when approached with delicious snacks, but not at any other time.
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Oh. Yikes, that’s awful. What says the vet?
How did the bone come to be in that condition?
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Oh wow! That’s insane!!!
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I think we are in a chicken vs egg situation, are we seeing that bone necrosis from repeated abscesses, or is the bone issue what is causing the repeated abscesses? She also said she can’t really rule out there being some ongoing infection in the bone on the LF, which would need to be treated surgically, but I wouldn’t consider him a surgical candidate. He also spiked a fever today which came down with medication, thankfully, but he’s still eating and we are going to do the clean trax soak, get him feeling better in general and do the stimulation type cushings test (I can’t remember what it is, forgive me!) and see if that could have anything to do with it, and do some follow up to see what it looks like after a period of good care. Not the news I expected today, for sure.
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Poor guy.
No, not a surgical candidate for sure, but I hope he can be kept comfortable and happy. I’m sure you know what you’re doing and will take it slow with him.
Gah! I just don’t understand why that woman would allow this to happen to a horse. Horses that gave their all for their owners who then trusted this woman to care for them. Ghastly human being.
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Oh no. I am so sorry. Thank you for taking him in, and I hope that he feels better with some CleanTrax and lots of medication.
IME once it reaches bone it’s hard to eradicate without debriding/surgery – but you’ve done him a kindness as is by giving him a soft landing. Jingling for the both of you.
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Thanks- I am kind of ruminating in my head on what’s realistic for him at this point. I wouldn’t want to wait until he has another flared up abscess to make a call either way, but for right now his fever is down, he’s eating, and there are a few very basic things left to do to see where it gets us, so I am definitely going to do those.
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Does his previous owner have any medical records that might help you figure out the chicken/egg debate?
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