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Discussion on Road Founder
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 10, 2004 - 10:05 am:
Dr. O,
Is road founder caused by riding on hard surfaces...also...what is it?
you replied...
Absolutely. Road founder is not a well studied phenomenea but this is
what is observed: horses working hard on sufaces harder than usual
become bilaterrally lame up front. Some cases when radiographed
display rotation.
I think what is happeining is bilateral bruising of the sole that is
so severe that blood supply to the walls laminae is impaired (either
by incidental swelling or the release of vasoactive agents?) resulting
in a secondary founder. But there are other explanations.
Why don't they drag the surface?
DrO
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They finally DID dig up the surface of the arena just yesterday, so now I think I am able to use it. They were dragging it, but just dragging it wasn't enough to release some of the *cement*.
You said "bilateral bruising of the sole that is
so severe that blood supply to the walls laminae is impaired" - My horse was bruised on his right hoof at the toe. I'm assuming I don't have to worry about xrays unless he is showing symptoms of founder. He's irritated when worked...major swishing of the tail-- but not lame. The farrier is coming on Saturday for new shoes so we'll see how that bruising did.
Thanks for your help Dr. O!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 - 7:22 am:
Yeah, thats pretty much true, if not lame I would not worry.
DrO
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Monday, Apr 12, 2004 - 10:14 am:
Ok....I screwed him up...I think...he'd been ok for work..and was going really well. I brought him to lunge him one day and didn't check his feet first. He was a *little* off...about an inch of a bob...it looked like his front left, which was the worst when he was barefoot and I think he road foundered...anyways, when I checked his feet after I lunged him, his front left had cement in there. He had been standing on road base rock and it was wet since I had been watering around the rock, so the poor guy basically had cement in his foot.
Now he is off again. Ouchy...walks and canters just great, but you can tell he hurts when he trots.
PLUS...The shoes he has on his front feet are very wide and I need to get in there and clean him out religiously..well, I didn't at first, I didn't realize how wide the shoes were (I know...idiot  ..anyways, when I DID get in there, there was a thrush smell. His feet are being bleached twice a day and they do not smell now.
I'll be taking him in for xrays next week to rule out degeneration or rotation....but my question is....Could this possibly be just a bruised foot since he isn't lame at all gaits??? Or is it most likely that he has rotated. I have talked to the vet and he said we should get him xrayed just to be safe, but it doesn't sound THAT bad.
He's eating just fine and has *his* personality...so I don't think he's in THAT much pain...
Confused....AGAIN!
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Monday, Apr 12, 2004 - 1:12 pm:
ummmm...my roommate said he was galloping, rearing, bucking, playing, etc. this morning...so I guess he's feeling better??
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 - 6:31 pm:
Mild lameness may only be seen at the trot.
DrO
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 - 10:13 am:
He was still off at the trot last night...I went to him in the pasture to check his feet (make sure there wasn't any cement - for the first time in a week there wasn't any!! - I had put a mat down where he usually stands and I think that solved that problem) and take off his fly mask...He followed me as I was leaving, so I jogged a little to see if he would trot after me. He did, and again he was off at the trot.
I just don't get it. If it's something serious, wouldn't he be *more* off??
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 - 10:46 pm:
The degree of lameness does not always correlate with the seriousness of the problem. You need to get a localization and a diagnosis.
DrO
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 10:03 am:
Thanks Dr. O,
Next Friday is the exam and xrays...Geez...how dumb can I be! Poor guy.
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 11:30 am:
Aileen,
Your horse and mine must be closely related  . It has been almost a month since your horse has been shod. Are these a new style of shoe for supportive purposes? Chances are that the cement pack you found in his foot created some sole pressure that will take a little bit of time to resolve. If your vet is coming out next Friday, maybe you could arrange to have the farrier there as well.
Good Luck
Susan B.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 12:37 pm:
Hi Susan and thanks...you made me feel better (;)
Yes, they are aluminum shoes with a very wide toe. I had never seen his movements so fluid since he's had them on (and he was sound).
I am sincerely hoping that he is fine and just needs pads for awhile.
The farrier can't be there, however he said to have the vet write a prescription and he'd follow it to the "t".
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 3:32 pm:
Hi Aileen,
If there is the slightest chance of thrush, pads may not be in your best interest at the moment. If you are getting radiographs done based on the vet's findings they could also be used to assist your farrier in getting your guy balanced out or shoe placement. A shoe that has a wide toe, and the cement packing which wasn't intentional on your part, may have put a little pressure on the tip of his coffin bone. This could mimic founder.
I know it is a delicate balancing act but it can be done. Let us know how this works out for you.
Susan B. 
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 4:38 pm:
He has NO thrush right now...he's even kept his feet clean
I'm getting xrays per my vet and to ease my mind and to make sure there isn't something more serious than a bruise going on here.
I'm trying to see if I can move the xrays to this Saturday...crossing fingers...
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 4:42 pm:
Dr O...
If he's kept on soft ground, would it hurt him to keep his shoes off for a day or two until the farrier could get out? I'm trying to coax him (offering more money (;) into coming Saturday - but he's so busy.
Let me rephrase...I know it wouldn't "hurt" him if he only has a bruise...but what if there's something more serious? If he's rotated or something...could him being barefoot for 24 hours hurt him more?
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 6:12 pm:
Hello Aileen,
My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you with comments on my post. If you can tough it out until the vet comes next Friday, I am sure your guy will be fine. If he is rotating in the feet, they would be quite warm as well as a throbbing pulse just behind the fetlock, as well he wouldn't be moving too good. My bets are on some sole bruising and nothing more. If the vet is not recommending phenylbutazone or some other anti-inflammitory at the moment, some good old fashioned cold water hosing could bring some relief. Hope this helps.
Susan B.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Apr 16, 2004 - 6:56 am:
No I don't think this is likely to be a problem.
DrO
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Friday, Apr 16, 2004 - 10:16 am:
Thanks Dr. O.
Hi Susan...he's fine, just ouchy -- he's beginning to like his vacation -- it's me that's a mess (;) Plus not being able to ride him is making me grumpy (;)
Unfortunately, I have to wait until the last week of April. My farrier is leaving to do a show -- terrible timing. Since he's already ouchy on his front feet, I want to ensure that his time without shoes is minimal.
The farrier did say that sometimes vets have a farrier onsite to tack shoes back on...but the vet I'm going to doesn't have that service available. This vet I trust explicitly to tell me correctly what is wrong with my horse.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 29, 2004 - 12:23 pm:
Ok....
He has slight navicular bone changes...what the heck does that mean!?
But no rotation YEAH!!!!
He has sidebone calcification on the collateral cartridge.
But he said with no lameness it doesn't mean anything.
Dr O,
Why on earth do vets think we call them to find a solution to a horse being off???? For the heck of it!???? He said the horse wasn't lame so not to worry! Geesh...He's off at the trot...
ok vent over...
ps...no this was NOT the vet I trust.
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 29, 2004 - 3:24 pm:
Ok, now that I've spoken to my farrier and another vet, I feel better. Sorry for my rant earlier.
The vet said that 80% of horses have "slight navicular bone changes" and not to worry. However, regarding the sidebone, he said it depends on how MUCH calcification there is. I'm going to get him the xrays and see what he says.
and no...Dr. O, I was not including you in my "vent" sorry to generalize!!
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