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  Discussion on Lameness after shoeing
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New Member:
robinsl

Posted on Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 - 9:18 pm:

I lunged and rode my mare for 1 1/2 hours on 1/6 and she was sound with none of the symptoms I have noted present after shoeing. My mare was re shod 1/8. I board her so I am not there everyday. I saw her on 1/12. She was lame (left front) and her heel area was swollen and slightly warm. I checked her hoof and found 2 nails unclenched and slightly inside the hoof.Visible but I could not feel them only the nail hole. I alerted the stable owner . He called the blacksmith for him to come over and remove the shoe. He did remove the shoe (1/14), cut away to see if there was an abscesses. He reset the shoe with the no nails back in the two holes that had the unclenched nails. The blacksmith does make all his own shoes. All shoes are hot. Her lamness improved . However, there was swelling and heat( hotter than the it was when I first discovered it)that was 1/16. I called our vet. She came the next afternoon (1/17) and examined her. She used a hoof testers to locate any tenderness. She told me she did not find any sign of infection tenderness,or abscess. She gave her a shot of dexamethsone and Bute 1 1/2 grs TID x 10 days. My mare has been resting in her box stall. Today I noticed no heat, slight puffiness in the heel - much less than before but still noticeable. She is still a bit stilty turning to the left. However, turned out in indoor arena she galloped around very quickly, bucked, jumped, lunged, for the better part of 20 minutes before she rolled.
I asked our vet what she thought the problem was. She told me she did not know. However, added if she was not better to call her for an x ray and additional follow up. What do you think could be the cause of this heat, lameness,and swelling?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Feb 1, 2008 - 6:24 am:

Welcome Robin,
If I understand your post correctly, it does not have any clear information to diagnose the cause of the lameness: there are many diseases that would present as your horse does. Certainly the history suggests a hot nail but without localization by hoof testers we cannot say this with any certainty. Also a hot nail that did not abscess would not usually cause swelling.

Do I understand that although the heels were visibly swollen that the veterinarian did not find any pain on palpating the heels? The two most common reasons tissues swell is trauma and infection but without pain or signs of trauma the heat, swelling, and lameness are a bit of a mystery.
DrO
New Member:
robinsl

Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 8:23 am:

The vet who comes to the barn where I keep her told me she found no evidence of an abscess or pain with the hoof testers. Altho from my own examination of the swelling my mare was uncomfortable with it being touched. For the rest of the week she did not want her hoof picked up to be cleaned.She is normally a horse who cooperates 100% with everything. I was finally able to catch up to the vet this morning via telephone and asked her why she thought my mare still had swelling in her heel? She told me she would not be able to tell me until she saw her again. She asked that I call her the early part of next week to set up an appointment. What illness would present in this way other than an abscess? Thank you.
Robin
New Member:
robinsl

Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 4:17 pm:

Dear Dr. O,
Update as of Saturday afternoon- my mare now 5 days after finishing a 10 day supply of Bute.
Right heel swelling returning, heat returning, lameness returning. I turned her out in indoor arena to observe. She walked to about half way down, turned around and looked at me. Walked back, stood by gate and put her head down. She did not want the hoof or heel touched. I called vet back described to her what was going on. She told me she would give her first available appointment and would call barn owner and advise him to administer some of us own bute til she got there. I did tell the vet I am not convinced there is not an abscess. I have had this mare 10 months and she was vet checked before she left Texas and by this same vet after she arrived. She has not taken a lame step until that Thursday after her last shoeing. Thank you.

Robin
Member:
scooter

Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 5:10 pm:

Robin, A few things popped in my head reading your posts. If I understand correctly your horse has her shoe back on? From my experiences with abscesses/hot nails I would be tempted to pull that shoe asap (even tho it was re-set) and maybe do some soaking, poulticing.

Also again this is just from my experience, try to have your horse off bute for 24 hrs before the vet comes. I have seen my horses hoof test sound when on bute, even tho they had an abscess or something else brewing. I also didn't think the hoof tester was accurate with shoes on either. These are just my personal observations regarding my horses and friends horses. Good Luck with your mare.
New Member:
robinsl

Posted on Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 9:18 pm:

Thanks, Diane. The vet did not want the shoe removed because she did not see any evidence of an abscess she told me. I thought the shoe should be off too.
Problem is when I spoke to her today and told her Lyla was really lame again, heat and swelling returned she immediately wanted her back on Bute. She was called the stable owner to put her back on. Ofcourse her schedule was such she could not come over today. I am guessing she will not see her until Monday.
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