This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Lower Limb » Overview of Fetlock (Ankle) Lameness »
  Discussion on Sore fetlock
Author Message
Member:
readjoe

Posted on Sunday, Jan 10, 2010 - 10:42 pm:

Dr. O,

My 14 yo gelding was being frisky 4 days ago, and ran around his pasture full steam ahead..when he stopped by his friends he was 3 legged. Would not bear any wt on rear leg. I felt it, no heat..waited 45 min, palpated...no heat, still 3legged. Hopped him to stall, gave a gm bute., and made appt for vet the next day. Next morning he was fine..walked full stride on it.Cancelled appointment. I gave him a couple days of. Then yesterday I put him on the lunge at a walk..he took several steps, then a bad, stumbly step..several good ones..then caught himself..like it hurt. he is a little puffy in pastern..seems like a 'strain' to me..but yeegads..there are alot of parts down there! I have him now in a round pen..just so he is moving, but quiet. Still no heat...no swelling..only sensativity when I reach for his fetlock..but once I do he lets me palpate all I want..and I rub hard..and try to elicit a reaction. Is there such thing as a strain, kind of like me having a sprained ankle..to where my pain tells me how much I can do/not do..?

I gave him bute tonite..have been hesitant to give much b/c I like him taking care of himself if he is 'sore'

Thank you,

MB
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jan 11, 2010 - 6:25 am:

Hello MB,
The only question I really see above is "Is there such thing as a strain.." The answer is yes. Horses can and frequently do sprain and strain tendons and ligaments. However there is nothing in your post to help me diagnose if this is what is going on with your horse and if this is such a event how severe it might be. For more on caring for your horse see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » First Aid for the Lame Horse.
DrO
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Monday, Jan 11, 2010 - 7:42 am:

MB,
Did you check his shoe on that foot. When I read your post about your horse being three-legged and then sound. It reminds me of a really good racemare we had about 30 years ago.

This mare was a New Zealand nut case and would not walk into a stall( she ran in, also did this loading into a trailer)So, she was backed into her stall every day. Did not know how to walk, like a normal horse.

One day, my husband was putting her away and was almost done, when she got spooked by a piece of machinery doing work outside the barn. She broke the crossties and ran backwards into her stall, where she immediately became three-legged lame. We did everything we could, just like you. No heat, no soreness, everywhere on her leg. But she refused to put any weight on the leg. We called the vet.

This mare was into go in an elimination of a really big stakes race, so we were not taking any chances.

While we were waiting for the vet and imagining the worst case scenario, the barn owner comes down because he heard what happened and asked if he could take a look at her. We said yes. He checks her out and lifts her leg to look at her shoe and then says, here's your problem. What had happened was that when she backed into the stall, the trailer on her back shoe got caught on the small ledge in the doorway bending it forward, so of course she couldn't put her foot down, the piece of shoe was in the way. We took the shoe off and she was fine(made us feel like idiots for not checking the shoe). We still had the vet come out and check her anyway.

This story has a happy ending. This mare went on to win the elimination and the Final in stakes record time and held the record for aged pacing mares on 1/2 mile track for many years.

I am hoping that your horses injury is not serious and everything will be back to normal soon.

Rachelle
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC