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  Discussion on Possible Isciatic Damage?
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Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Sunday, Nov 19, 2006 - 8:21 pm:

I wasn't sure whether to post this in Diseases of the Nervous System or Lameness of the Upper Rear Leg. Since it doesn't appear Bennie is lame, I opted for the nervous system.

Bennie doesn't show any lameness when he walks, trots or canters. About a year or two ago he had popped his stifle out on the right side when he got too enthusiastic during a bucking episode and he showed the same kind of lameness on the left side about three weeks ago and never again.

He started rubbing his butt on the outside of the wooden barn siding and, in the process, was rubbing his left hock raw. He's a quick study, though, and now he stands outside his stall and rubs, rubs, rubs his butt on the vertical stall bars (thus avoiding the hock injury). You never saw galvanized pipe so shiny. He is NOT rubbing his tail (I just wormed him and it doesn't look exploded). He's rubbing his semitendinosus (yes, I had to look it up). So I did a little amateur chiropractic work on his sacral area and about injured myself massaging the whole area to include tail manipulation and massage of the upper leg down to the hock joint.

When I massage his upper leg all the way down, he curves around like a euphoric comma, and twists his leg around until he's pidgeon toed and lifts his leg in this wobbling, trembling state of ecstasy. His lips are quivering, his eyes are half shut, talk about a horse in heaven. It's the same on the left and the right. I start at the sacral and massage all the way down. He'll even reach around to "lip" my shirt or nibble a little at the stifle area.

I got from his former owner that Bennie has always loved "butt scratches." I even bought special curry combs to give him really good scratchies. I'm wondering if his long-term love of scratchies in that area might not be associated with a nerve thing.

Bennie has mild arthritis in his hocks that I've been treating with supplements; glucosamine/chronDrOitin fluid, Vit. E & selenium, and, just recently pure HA fluid in his morning mash. He was exhibiting the rubbing behavior before the HA supplements.

My next step is to consult with my own vet and, perhaps, get an equine chiropractor in to do a professional adjustment and see if there's any change. It wouldn't be too much of a problem except for the rubbing and the risk to bloodying up his hocks. Plus I fear there might be some deteriorating condition occurring in the area.

Most all the articles I've read in Horseman's Advisor deal with lameness as a symptom of related diseases. So this one has me stumped.

Any thoughts, Dr. O?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 7:49 am:

It sounds like the skin is pruritic (itches) Laura but it is not clear why from your post. For more on diagnosis and treatment see Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Hair and Coat Problems / Itching / Irritated Skin » Overview of Pruritis: Scratching & Rubbing.
DrO
Member:
Tipper

Posted on Monday, Nov 20, 2006 - 9:26 pm:

We were given an elderly Paso Fino who had the same itchy-butt problem. A single episode of shampooing with T-Gel cured him. The shampoo session took about half an hour of rubbing and scratching his dock (top and underside) and butt cheeks (semitendinosus)- wherever he seemed to respond the most. Then we rinsed him off. The old guy was in the same kind of heaven you describe during the shampoo and he hasn't rubbed his butt on anything since.
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 9:48 pm:

Thanks, Martha. Good tip!

Were there any visual signs of his skin condition? I don't see anything at all on Bennie that would indicate he has a skin condition. Regardless, I think I'll try the T-Gel while the weather is good enough (in Arizona) for a bath.
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Sunday, Dec 10, 2006 - 9:58 pm:

Martha,
I scrubbed Bennie's back legs and butt with the T-gel today. I'll keep an eye on him to see if it works and let you know.
Member:
Vickiann

Posted on Monday, Dec 11, 2006 - 9:39 pm:

For my itchy-butt guy (huge damage from the scratching), I had great results from rubbing MTG on the underside of the tail dock and all other surrounding hind ares (not annal area). I don't know why, but the horse is even happy to have me walk out into the pasture, and without him being tied up rub the MTG everywhere. This halted the horrible scrubbing he was doing on the oak trees.
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