|
|
Discussion on Hind foot/leg lameness
|
| Author |
Message |
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 2:36 pm:
Dr. O, We were out of town for a week, and my worker stayed here. Levi, the problem child, developed an issue on Tues. PM last week.
He had been sound, running around, eating fine etc. I had the neighbor gal come over to pick out his back feet, as the girl who stayed here is a cow - girl, not a horse girl. She said Levi came in the barn his normal self. When the neighbor picked his feet, he is not good at holding his back feet still, so she struggled a bit. She said he had gravel in his foot, and a small pebble, but not in the frog area.
I just got home, and the girl said that his lameness has improved, although he is about a grade 4 lameness.
All 4 feet are the same warmth, no digital pulse, and I pushed with a hoof tester over areas that I could with no significant response.
I did dig out a bit of soft white sole from the center of his outer sole, no discoloration.
They thought maybe he sprained his leg from messing around, or jerking his foot out from her. I don't know how to test for a sprain? He has no puffiness in either leg, I squeeze up and down his leg, nothing.
I soaked his foot last night for 1/2 hour in epson salts/bleach also, for this is the foot with the old thrush/white line. Packed a betadine soaked cotton in his foot. I had them give him bute since Wed., none today, When I let him out he has a betadine cotton in a padded old mac boot on. He walks on it, but it is more like a catch in his ankle when he walks. He puts pressure on it, when he is eating, but still will stand with it in a resting position.
Since it is improving, should I continue with this therapy or, dread of dreads, pack him up and take him to the vet in South Dakota? I did not give him any bute today. Should I continue with bute until he is sound? He is not running around, but walking around in his small dry lot. She kept him in from Tues pm til Friday.
Thanks
suz
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 6:35 pm:
I took his boot off, and he seems to be more lame with the boot and pad off, would that indicate a foot problem? Of course the more I read, the more I have him with all kinds of incurable problems. He has equal amounts of puffiness at the fetlock, I don't know what they were like before, so who knows. I am of course, over looking everything. When I pick up his ankle, and bend it both ways, he does not seem to care, but I used the hoof tester, and nothing. Maybe it is in his hip?
I would call a vet here, but we already know where that would take us. I guess if he is not better by monday, I will have to run him up to south dakota.
suz
|
Member:
shirl
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 7:02 pm:
Suz, I don't have any answers for you but I'm so sorry you are going through "this" again. Where in S.D. do you take him? I've been away from my home state for so long I can't recall what vet is where. Anyway, best of luck and lots of hugs and prayers going your way. Hugs for both you and your horse.
Shirl
|
Member:
scooter
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 7:55 pm:
Hi susan, I'm sure Dr.O. can help you better than me, but as I was reading your post abscess came to mind, especially since this has been one of his compromised hooves.
My arab gelding acted very similar when he had one in his back hoof. We couldn't dependably get it to react to hoof testers. Bute helped a very little bit. and his ankles stocked up. The good one probably because of excess weight bearing. I had the vet look for it twice but we never did find a tract. He always rested that hind as much as he could...I even have a video of it
He spent 2 weeks in a diaper wrap with a sugardine poultice and all the sudden he was better, never did find the exit, it did drain some from the bottom with the diaper wrap.
I hope it is that simple for you even though abscesses are a pain....good luck
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 11:05 pm:
Thanks guys, I went out and put the cotton soaked in betadine, and a diaper, after I read your post. He really is one stepping it tonight. I soaked his foot for about 20 minutes again tonight. Should I have the farrier come over and take his shoe off?
I don't know how much more I can mentally take of this horse. If I could find someone to take him, and maybe give him whatever I seem to not be able to give him, I would give him away tomorrow. As much as I love this horse, I really feel that there is some reason I am having so many problems. It must be something I am doing wrong.
I wish I had good local vets that I could call on to give me support.
see ya
suz
|
Member:
scooter
|
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 11:56 pm:
Susan if you think it is his hoof, it probably wouldn't hurt to have the farrier remove the shoe, maybe he could help locate the problem.
Hoof testers don't work well with shoes imo.
Good Luck
|
Member:
mrose
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 12:59 am:
Oh, Susan, just when you and Levi seemed to be doing so good! It could well be either and abcess or a bruise. Like Diane, I'd ask the farrier to remove the shoe and poke around a little, maybe even pare a way just a little sole so you could see if there was bruising anywhere. If it is bruising, some sole paint works good to toughen the sole up, and until it toughens, wrap in either a diaper or padding of some kind, or a shoe with a pad just under the shoe itself so it keeps the sole up off the ground protects it. Your farrier probably has several variations of shoes and pads that would help. If it's an abcess, polticing with a betadine-sugar mixture has really worked for me.I hope this resolves easily for you...and for Levi. It's not just you and Levi; maybe it's the spring weather, the ground going from firm to wetter and softer and the horses' hooves doing the same, but I've heard of a lot of horses with similar problems.
|
Member:
scooter
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 8:02 am:
Susan you aren't too far from us and if you have had the same wet weather we have it's a nightmare on feet, especially following the wet winter.
Sam has thrush, which he never has had before, and the pieces of gravel...stuck in the mud in their feet have to be pried out. Hank had a very very small piece of gravel stuck in his whiteline, it was already worked in, I managed to get it out, but thought that would have been an abscess.
Maybe a small piece of gravel has worked it's way under his shoe.
I'd take Levi in a heartbeat, but like you my vet and farrier are limited in their knowledge. Tho I love them both and they are trying very hard with Hank. One of your best sources for helping Levi is at your finger tips HA. I had to question my vet and farrier, It's so funny to see the looks I get from my vet....like how'd you know that. He even asks what I think now LOL. Educate yourself on Levis feet, make sure they are balanced, in your mind, and that the treatment is correct. I pestered Dr.O. way too much, because of my lack of understanding, but once I got it (took awhile) Hank improved and is now sound.
Good Luck with Levi hang in there I know it's frustrating.
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 11:07 am:
HI all, well this am he is definately not better, in fact worse. He took a 1/2 minute to walk out of his stall. His foot is now definately warm. Could the soaking be moving things around in his foot? Should I stop soaking?
Something new though. When I touch his flank area, he swings his head around, like that is very annoying, He has been on 1 gm of bute a day since Wed. I did not give him any today. He has had bute before without a problem.
I just talked to the on call vet in S.D. She said hopefully it is an abscess. To keep soaking, take away his bute for today, continue with what I am doing and she pencilled him in for tomorrow at 11:00.
She thought maybe he is just painful and being irritable with the side issue.
Will keep you all posted.
Where are you Dr. O????????? HELP ME"
suz
|
Member:
kathleen
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 1:30 pm:
Susan, whatever you do, don't blame yourself and think you are not doing right by him. I went through years of thinking that same thing. No one could figure out what was wrong with my Arab mare Mona. She had one problem after another. I assumed that I was doing everything wrong and thought the same thing as you do - that she would be better off with someone else. But then I also thought that if it isn't me and she goes to someone else, she could possibly still have the same problems; that she could go from owner to owner (and possibly be abused due to not recognizing that her problems were medical). It seems that so many people do not want to have a horse with problems. They would rather get rid of them and let someone else deal with it. So don't beat yourself up about it. If you love him and want to keep him, just do the best you can and go on from there. Mona turned out to be one of the best things that has happened to me and we got through her problems and she is a joy.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 2:42 pm:
Hello Susan,
I am sorry, we have been traveling the past 4 days without regular Internet service. Please understand that we are limited in what we can do with this medium and anytime you have a situation that you think is an emergency, you should call your veterinarian.
Concerning your horse the history is consistent with a foot abscess though it will take an exam to confirm it. Certainly there are other possibilities. In cases where lameness is easily seen I think it is logical to keep the horse as comfortable as possible with bute until it can be examined. Soaking the foot in warm Epsom's is a time honored method of treating bruises and abscesses. A good first step would be having the farrier pull the shoes and checking for an abscess. If nothing shows a good exam of the leg should follow. For more on the examination, including checking for some types of sprains see,
Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Localizing Lameness in the Horse. For more on foot abscesses see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Hoof Abscesses, Bruises, and Gravels.
DrO
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 3:24 pm:
Thanks Dr.O, the farrier is going to a horse sale till Tues., So I will soak his foot this pm again. I just came home on a beautiful day in Iowa, finally, and had a message on my machine to go for trail ride with some friends. 
I have one older than dirt horse, one horse with bad stifles, he can be ridden if we give him bute an hour before, and keep him on level. And Levi !
I am pretty sure I do nothing but doctor my horses, scoop their poop, and pay thier bills. I am trying to keep a positive attitude, really I am.
I have a friend that has 11 horses on 2 acres of pasture, throws a round bale out for them, occassionally trims their feet. She woke up the other morning with one of horse sweating, it's hind foot stuck in the wall from kicking. They pulled it out, let her out, and she is just fine. I just don't get it. I must have some massive horse karmic debt to pay, I would have to say it must have been huge, as I should be well over payed by now.
I think I will go plant flowers, maybe that will cheer me up. 
thanks all
suz
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 4:48 pm:
I hope I am not double posting, I thought i did this already, but who knows.
The vet in S.D. found an abscess on his white line on that back foot. He thought it was the thrush entering a nail hole maybe?
Anyhow, he dug it out, rather deeply, and said that there was a bit of grey/black liquid. When I looked, there was a pool of wet black stuff. He then soaked his foot. I have another post about that incident, that I want opinions on.
He then packed the hole with a chunk of cotton soaked in betadine, padded his old mac boot with cotton, and off we went. He did walk off much better. However, today he was still very sore.
Questions 1. How many days can I expect him to be sore. He dug out a big chunk of sole?
2. Should I give him bute? He is mildly uncomfortable when he is in his padded boot. He walks around the dry lot, munching on grass.
3. My first abscess I think. How many days till I should expect him to be sound enough to perhaps work him again?
I guess of all the things it could have been an abscess is the better outcome, eh?
suz
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 6:43 am:
That is great Susan, abscesses are common and 100% curable. You will find all your questions on what happens now answered at Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Hoof Abscesses, Bruises, and Gravels.
DrO
|
Member:
quatro
|
Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 12:17 pm:
Thanks Dr. O, Levi is 80% better today. Still sore with out the boot on, but, I let him out in his yard,and something spooked all of them and he trotted off with the gang for a spell. Just hoping that the soaking does not initiate any white line problems.
I am really begining to think he is Insulin Resistant so need to work on diet and weight with him, and see if we can't get this foot problem under control.
suz
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 6:51 am:
The foot problems you have had so far are not really caused by insulin resistance but if the horse obese, weight control is indicated.
DrO
|
|
|
