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  Discussion on Undiagnosed Stifle Injury Treatment
Author Message
New Member:
Brendake

Posted on Saturday, Jun 7, 2003 - 3:07 pm:

Dr. O,
Hi, another question about stifle/hock lameness. I have a 12 yr old appendix quarterhorse that I barrel race on at the professional level. In the last month he has started turning the 1st and 3rd barrel wider than normal. After 4 runs I finally figured out that he might be sore!! I used a blister on his hocks, stifles and front legs. The front end was clean, and the left hock was clean. The left stifle and the entire right leg showed up sore, especially the right stifle. After a week of progressive riding, I made another run on him, with the same results. I took him to my vet this morn. and had a lameness exam done. With leg flexion tests he showed slightly sore on the left, and more significantly sore on the right. The vet had me start my horse on daily bute for 2 weeks, along with Legend for 3 weeks. (If at the end of 2 weeks he is not completely free of lameness I will take him to A & M and have him x-rayed.) My question is about the Legend and Bute. Should I continue to give the Legend on a once-a-month basis? Should I give him bute before every barrel race, before a series of days of racing, or just as needed? Thank you.
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Sunday, Jun 8, 2003 - 12:23 am:

Brenda,

I may have misunderstood your post. It sounds as if you plan to have further diagnoses done if he doens't come out of this lameness, but it also sounds as if you plan to continue to race during this time. Bute may make your horse more comfortable and less able to feel the pain of an injury, but why continue to use him in barrel racing if he isn't fully recovered from his injury? Why not give him the time off that he needs to heal?
Holly
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jun 8, 2003 - 8:36 am:

Hello Brenda,
I too would like further clarification of the circumstances. As a general rule horses with DJD (chronic arthrits) are put on either a prolonged intermittent or permanant course of Legend or Adequan and bute, for the particulars on the timing and amounts see the article » Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of Joints » Arthritis and DJD: An Overview.

But without a diagnosis I cannot say if this is for you and Holly's thoughts on allowing an acute injury rest, possilbly preventing chronic lameness, is a good one. Both bute and Legend may still be helpful while resting but again to know for sure requires a accurate diagnosis.

And that brings me to my last thought: using blisters to localize lameness is not a valid procedure and the flexion test is nonspecific, from the information in the post. Though a likely cause to a change in performance that you describe, I think your lameness remains undiagnosed and not localized at this time.
DrO
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