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  Discussion on Mare fell in Pasture
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Member:
Canter

Posted on Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 - 8:22 am:

Hi All,
A week ago Monday, my mare was ramming around her pasture and fell. She came in from the pasture fine, but Tuesday morning, her left rear leg was horribly swollen. At that point, the barn owner questioned some of the kids who had been riding and that's when we found out Sparkles fell (the child that witnessed the fall couldn't tell us how she fell or how she landed).
The injury presented minor swelling from stifle to hock, huge distended swelling all around the hock (looked like small pumpkin under the skin-no bone structure or tendons/ligaments visible under the distention), minor swelling down the cannon bone and a slightly swollen fetlock. Sparkles was dragging her leg at the walk but was putting weight on the leg at rest.

The vet came out Tuesday afternoon. In the meantime, we had been cold hosing the entire leg. The leg was too swollen for x-rays and Sparkles was lame at the trot with and without a flexion test. Stifle did not feel injured. Vet said it looked like a strained muscle. Treatment:2x/day cold hose, sweat leg 12hours with DMSO & standing wraps, 12 hours with standing wraps, no DMSO (2-3 days), stall rest w/hand grazing and bute (2gm 2x/day for 2 days, then gradual reduction over the week).

On Wednesday evening, swelling was greatly reduced and I saw a reduction in the swelling every day until by Saturday night I could see the structure of the hock under the skin again. No further improvement from Sunday night to Monday night but Tuesday night the leg was almost perfect, just slightly "puffy" around the hock. Last night, the leg had swollen again, but not too bad. During the entire time, there has been no heat anywhere in the leg. Also, I have kept the standing wraps on longer than the vet recommended and have been using the DMSO almost the entire time, but with the huge improvement on Tuesday, I left them off over night and during the day. Since last night there was more swelling, I resumed use of the DMSO and the wraps. In the past several days, Sparkles looks normal ar the walk, and is tracking up nicely with the injured leg at the walk. I haven't attempted to trot her yet. The vet will be back out on Monday to re-evaluate and take x-rays (before I even THINK about putting this horse back to work, I want to ensure there is no structural damage--don't want to aggravate anything)

OK--after all that, here are my questions:
1. Is there any reason why I should stop using the DMSO? Vet said 2-3 days, but we've extended that use
2. Should I be concerned with the possibility of Fibrotic Myopathy? If so, what can I do to prevent/lessen the possibility (this mare has 3 spectacular gaits)
3. Would an ultrasound provide useful info or is it not helpful with this type of injury?
4. My normally very sane mare is getting squirrely with the stall rest. Before Sparkles goes back to turnout, is there something I should ask my vet for that will "dope" Sparkles up a bit so that she is less likely to tear around and re-injur herself?
5. Assuming that the diagnosis of a sprain is correct and that x-rays show no bone damage, is there anything else I should be doing to help Sparkles return to soundness? Is there anything else I should ask my vet to check for?

Sorry for the long post. I just want to ensure that I'm doing things correctly to help Sparkles heal properly.

Thanks in advance,
Fran
Member:
Canter

Posted on Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 - 8:26 am:

Oops...one more question: Should I be concerned that the leg swelled up again a bit last night? Can this be expected as the horse feels a bit more comfortable and uses it more? (After a week of graciously accepting the stall rest, she is pretty restless now).

Thanks again!
Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Thursday, Jul 29, 2004 - 9:19 am:

I would say that at this point, if it were possible to turn her out in a small area that she could move around in you would see improvement in the swelling just from her using the leg a little. If she is by herself and doesn't have bute or anything to mask the pain she probably won't do anything that will hurt it and exercise will help the edema dissapate. EO
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 6:23 am:

Fran most of your specific questions cannot be answered accurately without a specific diagnosis:
1) DMSO can become irritating to the skin on ome horses with persistant use so check with your vet on the concentration and follow her recommendation.
2) Not if the trauma is around the hock: there are no muscles in this area to "fibrose".
3) There is not enough information here for me to know. Ultrasounds are useful for examining unexplained soft tissue swelling but much depends on the skill and instrumentation available.
4) I like acepromazine placed on the feed, see article in medications section.
5) This will depend on the diagnosis Fran.
6) I think worsening symptoms should always be a cause of concern.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 8:13 am:

DrO & LKR,
Thanks so much for your responses. I'm glad I have the vet coming again on Monday to re-check this injury. Although the improvement is dramatic, I was not comfortable with the fact that the swelling has gone up & down (last night was the same as the night before) and DrO, you confirmed my concern. I will definately ask about the acepromazine when it's time for turn out again. If x-rays don't show anything, I will request the ultrasound (this vet clininc is the best in the area & all they treat are horses--another option is for me to take Sparkles to MI State, if neccessary. Hopefully, it won't be neccessary!)

DrO, just for my own enlightenment (and LKR, please don't take offense), is there merit in the suggestion that turning the horse out so she can use her leg more could reduce the swelling? I have hand walked this horse at least 30 minutes/day since injury (and the barn owner has tried to walk her around when she has a chance). Just curious--I won't take a chance with turnout until I get the vet's OK.

Thanks again.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2004 - 6:41 pm:

It depends Fran, on what is wrong a worse case scenerio is the incomplete fracture that becomes a complete fracture and with proper diagnosis and enforced rest the bone to heal, now the horse had to be destroyed. More serious damage to muscles and tendon injuries is possible. Often LKR is right: the swelling is secondary edema to a problem that is not severe and exercise will pick it up: but from here I cannot make that determination.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 4, 2004 - 8:47 am:

Update:
On Monday I had a complete set of X-rays taken on Sparkles' hock and just to rule out problems with the fetlock, x-rays were taken around that joint as well (I am convinced the swelling around the fetlock is simply gravity draining the fluid from the hock downward). All x-rays read negative for fractures (3 vets evaluated them), so that is a relief. However, that leaves me with an un-diagnosed problem, which is quite frustrating.

We are continuing to wrap the hock (the DMSO is not irritating the skin so far) and keep the mare in her stall with handwalking only. After several days of no change, the swelling had reduced again last night to where I could see some veins/some bone under the skin. Next Wed, the vet will be out to tap the joint and inject a steroid in there. At that time they will evaluate the joint fluid. After that, if the problem doesn't resolve, my vet recommended MI. State for orthascopy (ugh!)

Does bute act as a blood thinner like aspirin? I ask because after 40 minutes of handwalking, Sparkles had a bloody nose when I put her away (1 nostril only, quite mild). She's never had a bloody nose before, even after I've worked her very hard in a lesson or clinic. I think she probably bumped herself biting at a fly, but just wanted to be sure.

DrO, does all this sound like a reasonable course of diagnosis and treatment? With the joint tap are there any risks other than a slight risk of infection? Should HA be injected along with the steroid for a better outcome? Is there anything else you would recommend? What else should I be asking my vet? Although Sparkles has resigned herself to the stall rest, I'm the one that's starting to get nuts!

As always, thanks for your help!

Fran
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Aug 5, 2004 - 5:44 pm:

Hello Fran,
The known effects of bute are in the article on phenybutazone but no it does not inhibit clotting like aspirin. Concerning further diagnosis and treatment I cannot tell from the informaiton in your post whether this is logical of not: I am still not clear if the swelling is intra or extra articular. For intra-articular swelling this would be logical but not extra-articular, also what is the mechanism of the dragging leg and foot not typical signs for hock joint problems.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Friday, Aug 6, 2004 - 8:38 am:

Hello DrO,
I'm not sure if we know whether the swelling is intra or extra articular.(Or perhaps the vet knows and didn't say-I will ask) How would I tell the difference? In regards to the dragging foot, that only happened 2x since she injured the leg: the day after the injury (when the leg was extrememly swollen) and when it had flared up again this past Monday (vet was there to see it). I think that the horse was dragging her toe simply because it was too painful for her to flex her joints enough to pick the foot up. At all other times she has picked up the foot and is in fact tracking up in that leg exactly as she is in the other (at the walk).

Over the past two days, I've seen a slow decrease in the swelling (the weather turned cooler and less humid, could that be a factor?), so that's good. I guess I'm worried that there is more that could be done diagnostically so that we'll have a plan of action for treatment.

Perhaps I'm being impatient. I am feeling a bit guilty as I had moved Sparkles two weeks earlier to this new barn. The accident was nobody's fault--just one of those dumb horse things they do to themselves. Can't help but think that if only I had stayed at the other barn...

Anyway, when I get the results back from the joint tapping, I'll post them.

As always, thanks!

Fran
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 6, 2004 - 10:33 am:

By knowing the anatomy of the joint capsules you can tell if the swelling is confined to them. It is possible to have generalized swelling hide intraarticular swelling but an ultrasound can see the joint and capsule under the generalized swelling.

The cool weather is probably much less important than just plain old time passing: the body attempts to heal itself whether you do anything or not.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Friday, Aug 20, 2004 - 5:19 pm:

Another update:
Last Wednesday, my vet tapped the hock and injected HA, Depo~somthing or other (steroid) and Amileacin(sp?). The cultures came back as negative for bacteria growth and a slightly elevated protein level. Vet said this means the joint capsule was not ruptured and after this procedure & the xrays, vet says it's fair to assume a diagnosis of an injured tendon or ligament.

The swelling continues to decrease but is still present: the average person wouldn't notice it without it being pointed out. My vet referred to it as a "pitting" edema--very typical of a soft tissue injury (it was quite hard). Sparkles is very sound at the walk (only 1gm bute/day for 1400 lbs) and I have noticed that on occasion when she gets flighty on the end of the lead rope and does a canter around me before I get her settled, she is no longer favoring the injured leg for several steps after, as she did in previous weeks.

Last night was the last time w/ DMSO, but I continue to leave the standing wraps on, cold hosing, stall rest and 2x/day grazing sessions. Because Sparkles' energy level is starting to short-circuit her brain, the vet recommended that I add 10 minutes of hand walking (rather than just hand grazing) to the regimen.

My vet, and another, were both reluctant to ultrasound the injury, saying that the hock area is difficult to read. I reluctantly will accept that as long as Sparkles continues to improve. My vet will be out next Wednesday to evaluate again.

DrO, any additional comments or suggestions? It looks like time will be the healing factor for this injury. ~I hate to ask this, I think I know the answer...BUT: in your experience and based on what you know from this post~Is it likely this mare will return to complete soundness? Is it likely that her gaits will remain as special as they were? How long do ligament/tendon strains typically take to heal? We're almost to week five.

If these questions are unreasonable, I understand--I'm hoping for some re-assurance.

As always, I appreciate your comments.

Fran
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Aug 21, 2004 - 9:01 am:

Hello Fran,
A accurate prognosis is always based on a exact diagnosis but we can look at this from a statistical point of view: acute injury to gaskin with no radiographic abnormalities or involvement with the hock nor distension of the stifle joint capsules (that you have mentioned): the prognosis would be good for return to soundness.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004 - 1:40 pm:

Hello All~
Another update: Sparkles trotted off sound on the lunge line for the vet today and the vet is very pleased with her movement & the continued reduction in swelling. We will continue to play it safe and keep her stall rested with hand walking and the wraps on for at least another two weeks and then re-evaluate again.

However, we're starting to have another problem: After 5 1/2 weeks of stall rest, Sparkles is getting to be a bit difficult to handle. It's inconsistent from day to day and walk to walk. Last night, due to a newly arrived colt who is now being weaned and is very much in distress (poor little guy), Sparkles was a nut case: huge trot and canter, rearing, all while I was trying to take her for a QUIET walk. I was terrified that she'd re-injur herself or run over me. I ordered Quietex powder from Stateline Tack and then read on HA that Tryptophan might actually cause her to pace/move in her stall more (stupid me--I should have checked here first before ordering).

Anyway, does anyone have any experience with this product? I'd be interested in hearing more or any suggestions on keeping her quiet until we judge that she's no longer likely to re-injur herself and she can be turned out. The vet did say I could increase the hand walking from 10 to 20 minutes and was reluctant to put her on Ace for a long period of time-she said that it slows down all the horse's systems and wasn't good for long term use.

Thanks in advance,
Fran
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004 - 2:15 pm:

Hi Fran, Have you tried Rescue Remedy? It's a holistic type liquid. Squirt a DrOpper full in the corner of the mouth every 15 minutes for an hour. Calm all animals right down, unless they are in very high stress situation. My son uses it on dogs during thunder, friend uses it on her cat for vet visits, and I myself have used it when I had a ferrier that took forever, Sierra was sore and didn't appreciate the long stand. You can get it at most Vitamin stores. Try it, it won't hurt and might help. The best, Shirl
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004 - 2:17 pm:

Hi Fran, Have you tried Rescue Remedy? It's a holistic type liquid. Squirt a DrOpper full in the corner of the mouth every 15 minutes for an hour. Calm all animals right down, unless they are in very high stress situation. My son uses it on dogs during thunder, friend uses it on her cat for vet visits, and I myself have used it when I had a ferrier that took forever, Sierra was sore and didn't appreciate the long stand. You can get it at most Vitamin stores. Try it, it won't hurt and might help. The best, Shirl
Member:
Canter

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 8:14 am:

Hi Shirl,
Thanks so much for your response. I haven't tried Rescue Remedy. Do you know what the active ingredient is? Not sure I'd be able to find it around here, but I'll take a look.

Thanks!
Fran
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 11:40 am:

Is Rescue Remedy made by the same people that make Laminae Saver? If so, Id sure try it. I was very pleased with the Laminae Saver, inspite of the fact I don't know it's ingredients.
Member:
Shirl

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 12:46 pm:

No, Sara, it's made by the Bach Flower Essences. As I mentioned you can buy it at most health food stores, Vitamin stores, etc. Give it a try to see if it at least helps a little.
Good Luck, Shirl
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 1:00 pm:

I tried Quietex on one of our stallions some time ago and it did nothing. I use Select's At Ease now if we have to show during breeding season and it works pretty good. If the Rescue doesn't work, or you can't find it, you might give it a try.

Member:
Sross

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 1:08 pm:

Here's a link for more info on the Rescue Remedy.
You can use it in addition to your animals.

https://www.bachflower.com/rescue_remedy.htm
Member:
Ryle

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 1:14 pm:

Saw Quietex at the tack store yesterday and noticed that the label say that it contains no L-Tryptophan.
Here is a list of it's ingredients:

Ignatia amara 8X HPUS 0.042%
Valeriana officinalis 8X HPUS 0.042%
Saccharinate 0.12%
Methyl paraben 0.1%
Propyl paraben 0.05%
Aqueous Gelatin qsad 100%


Cindy D.
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 7:45 pm:

Fran - you can actually just put the Rescue Remedy in her drinking water also and then give her a quick boost of it 10 minutes before you hand walk. It works really well - great for the dog and the thunder storms - it is something I carry in my first aid kit. They actually say that if you have it in your kit and you are at an accident that you take it yourself first as you need a cool head for what you need to do! It worked for me.
good luck
Janet
Member:
Kathleen

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 9:48 pm:

Janet,
Do you think it would work on a Border Collie who is already on max dose of anti-anxiety meds and is terrified of thunderstorms?
Kathleen
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2004 - 10:04 pm:

Absolutely! I left my bottle up at a ranch in Salmon arm this year for exactly that kind of dog. We were at a 5 day clinic with Josh Nicol and the ranch owner had a VERY INTENSE border collie that would fly back and forth along the round pen - she has a path worn where she runs. We ended up talking on the deck and the subject came up and I told her about the Rescue Remedy. Another fellow there said that he has used it for a long long time and he actually waters the bottle down and says it still works. It really is not that expensive. Anyway we tried it on the border collie and the owner was amazed and laughing pretty hard as her intense dog was wondering around the ring with 5 horses around and she had this peaceful happy smile on her face and was pretty laid back. I would bet that you could probably replace the meds with it over time. Our dog is petrified of storms to the point that he shredded the vinyl siding on our house when he was tied in the breezeway during a storm during the day while we were at work. Now we give it to him right away and he still is anxious and shakes a bit but the severe panting is gone and he is a lot more relaxed. Sorry Dr. O if I have kind of gone off topic.
Janet
Member:
Canter

Posted on Friday, Aug 27, 2004 - 8:13 am:

Ladies,
Thanks so much for all the info. Sandra, I appreciate the link and will take a good look. Cindy-thanks so much for taking the time to jot down the Quietex ingredients. Interesting that it contains no tryptophan--both my vet and the catalog from which I ordered it said that it did.(I paid for overnight shipping, but wouldn't you know, it never arrived yesterday) Regardless, it's on it's way so I will give it a try. However, I am really intrigued by this Rescue Remedy. If it doesn't work on Sparkles, perhaps it will work for me--I'm just about done in with this injury. My usual stress reliever is, of course, riding. Even if I had another horse to ride, I wouldn't have the time since I've done my absolute best to get Sparkles out as much as possible around my job and daughter. I've enjoyed taking care of her and in one way it has really paid off: my once aloof mare seems to have bonded with me a lot more. Then again, she might be more happy to see me just because she knows I'll take her out of the stall and let her graze.

Anyway, everbody's input is GREATLY appreciated. I'll post again when I try these products & let everyone know the results.

Fran
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 27, 2004 - 9:16 am:

No problem Janet, just as long as everyone understands none of the claims made for the above product have any proof of benefit over a placebo or say anything that smells nice.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Monday, Sep 6, 2004 - 10:36 pm:

Hi All,
I promised to post on the results of the Quietex: I'm impressed with the results. With about 10 days of use, my stall bound mare is behaving quite well. We've had temperature/humidity changes, very windy days & I was walking her when a four wheeler did a wheelie about 10 yards away from us--no more blow ups. She looked concerned when the four wheeler zipped by, but watched it go & put her head back down to graze. She's been left alone in her stall without the pony companion in the next stall over--very quiet. In fact, when I'm walking her, I feel as if I'm dragging 1 1/2 tons of bricks around--she's almost TOO quiet, except when we go to graze and then she walks with some spring in her step but no more pushing me through the gate.

Now, in all fairness, at the same time the Quietex had arrived, the vet gave me permission to increase the hand walking by 10 minutes. That being said, I have a hard time believing that small amount of time has taken the edge off a horse that currently spends 22 hours/day in a stall (1+ of the 2 hours out is spent grooming, cold hosing, etc)vs. her normal 12 hours of pasture plus 1 hour of training.

So, that's the good news. The frustrating news is that darn hock is STILL swollen. The horse is sound on it, but the last swelling just won't go away. My vet comes again on Thursday & I'll see what she says. I'm ready to take Sparkles to MI State for more diagnostics.

Will update again...
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 7, 2004 - 7:23 am:

Hmmm there seems to be something about sticking something in the horses mouth that calms horse owners and I have the statistics on these pages to prove it.

What part of the hock remains swollen Fran? Have you tried pressure wraps? A bit difficult to maintain on the hock but in some cases can make a difference with time and patience. If it makes progres a neoprene hock boot can be purchased and greatly reduces the work needed.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 7, 2004 - 8:05 am:

Very funny, DrO...in all seriousness, because I work for the pharmaceutical industry, I think I'm more sceptical about herbals than most, but gave this Quietex a shot at my vet's suggestion. It really does seem to work, but naturally, you can't observe the horse--you'll just have to take my word for it!And HEY! If it keeps me saner, without harming the horse, so that she remains calm, than it's still worth the money!

It's hard to describe what part of the hock is still swollen. I'm going to pull up some info here so I can better describe it and re-post.

Thank you!
Fran
Member:
Canter

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 7, 2004 - 8:34 am:

OK, I took a look at the HA diagrams and perhaps I can better describe how the hock is still swollen: If you look at the other leg from directly in front or in back, you see what I think are the tibia and talus bones protruding from the joint. In the injured leg, the swelling encompasses those bones enough that they can not be seen. The tendon or ligament that runs down the back of the leg, over the point of the hock is fairly well defined (as opposed to when she first injured it). The point of the hock itself is now fairly well defined. Blood vessels under the skin have been apparent for several weeks (again, when she first injured it, you could see nothing). The vet described the swelling as pitting edema and I have left the standing wraps on nearly this entire time (taking off to cold hose and when I walk and/or graze her). Are standing wraps the same as the pressure wraps you refer to? I am beginning to get nervous about the wraps--since the swelling is down to it's current level, the polo wraps over the bandages occassionally slip and I have found them in direct contact with that tendon/ligament running down the back of the leg. Of course, they are then removed immediately & re-wrapped. I will try to take a picture of the hock tonight and post, but I'm not sure that I can capture this properly on film.

Dr.O, do the neoprene hock boots work better than the wraps? Are they safer? I'm certainly willing to give it a try--after nearly 8 weeks of wrapping and doing the extra loads of laundry along with it, I would welcome something that makes life a bit easier!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 8, 2004 - 7:04 am:

Right, this sounds like periarticular swelling: serum which is accumulating around the joint. I have had two cases where this type swelling secondary to a traumatic episode, scarred in over the following months. This scarring adhered to the extensor tendons running through the front of the hock. As the horse would move, tearing these adhesions, there would be more swelling, scarring, etc. Ongoing lameness and increasing tumor like swelling, the scar, resulted.

In one case we did surgery to remove the large mass of scar that had resulted then aggressively treated the horse to keep the swelling from returning. This took almost 6 months of NSAID's, small paddock rest, and pressure with the neoprene boot. But there came a day when the swelling did not return when the boot was left off and the horse remained sound from there on.

Since then I very aggresively treat periaricular swellings particularly around the hock. I usually equate standing wraps as thick bandages around the cannons and pasterns made with non-elastic materials. It is very hard to get the kind of pressure you need around the hock with such bandages. Not only does the neoprene go on easier, it conforms better to the hock with fewer pressure points. It cleans easily also.
DrO
Member:
Canter

Posted on Thursday, Sep 9, 2004 - 8:01 am:

Oh Boy...now you really have me worried, Dr. O, with this periarticular swelling. My vet is checking Sparkles out again this morning and I will bring this up to her.

I didn't get pictures since I keep forgetting to grab my camera on my way out to the barn--will try to remember to grab it today.

Will update again after today's vet check and will definitely scour my catalogs for the neoprene hock wrap.

Thanks,
Fran
Member:
Canter

Posted on Thursday, Sep 9, 2004 - 2:37 pm:

Here's today's update:
My vet watched her walk & trot on the lunge line. Sparkles is sound at the walk and trotting to the right (when the injured leg is to the inside). Trotting to the left, Sparkles was slightly off (grade 1 out of 5).

Upon physical examination, the vet remarked on the softening of the swelling in spots. I had noticed this last night, and it was even more apparant to me today. My vet said that this was an indication that the pitting edema was gone. I asked her about the periarticular swelling that you brought up in your last post, DrO. My vet felt this wasn't the case as we'd likely see more unsoundness and increased swelling (she felt it had gone down since 2 weeks ago--I look at it so often that it's hard for me to tell anymore)

Upon injecting the hock (HA/steroid/antibiotic), there was a big increase in the amount of synovial fluid that came out and it was a lot bloodier than the first tap, 4 weeks ago. My vet wasn't overly concerned but collected some for another test. (She is now calling this a soft tissue/joint capsule injury--we're back to that)

The vet agreed that a neoprene wrap was a good idea, but starting tomorrow, we will go 12 hours on, 12 hours off. She gave me some Surpass to use when the wrap is off (I did question her about this as I recall another post where it "burned" the horse's skin)--she said she had good results with it & no problems. I will obviously keep a close eye on this. I can continue to hand graze and can up the handwalking to 30 minutes/day.

My vet said she was still optimistic with the way things were going and thought that I'd probably be able to ride again "some time early next year". That stopped me in my tracks a bit! And frankly is very dissapointing to me--I was hoping for sooner, of course, but oh well.

Of course, I forgot my camera...again! Will be at the barn again tonight anyway, for our evening stroll.

DrO...any comments on the latest info from today's exam? I have to say that the info from your posts (and others) have provided great questions for me to ask my vet about. I have found with all medical professionals (human & animal) that the more knowledgeable you are, the more info you can draw out of the doctor and the more likely they are to discuss the issues with you.

As always...thank you.

Fran
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Sep 10, 2004 - 8:49 am:

The periarticular swelling is the pitting edema that you describe above. If this has resolved that is great. As long as there is inflammatory joint disease present, oral bute should be a main stay of therapy.
DrO
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