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  Discussion on Pedal osteitis
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Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Aug 29, 2005 - 7:45 am:

Well Kim,
The diagnosis is a bit problematic from the information you give. First pedal osteitis from a generalized demineralization is not a well established diagnosis and often a red herring. One reason is that even if this does occur radiographs are a difficult way to measure bone density. Radioraphic technique (many specific factors), electrical conditions, and even developing conditions all effect the appearance of the bone on the radiographs. As a result most often the demineralized appearance is due to one of these factors. This is combination with the frequency of bilateral lameness secondary to non-radiographically evident disease makes this something vets sometimes grab onto. Note: neither navicular synDrOme not founder always have radiographically evident changes, see each of these articles.

In the same manner the apparent sole thickness of the foot on radiographs has so many variables that numbers are tough to compare unless standardized techniques are used.

A horse that is 16.1 with a shoe smaller than a 1 is definately a horse with small feet but a real 1 cm thickness of the horn of the is a plenty thick sole. If you are using radiographs to measure this the radiographs magnify the actual size, how much depends on technique.

So what is your next step? Kim I recommend you read Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Overview of Diagnosis and Diseases of the Foot. This article has links to the already referred to articles and others. Is there any history with the onset of this lameness , what are the results of the examination of the foot, and exactly what blocks have been done and their results?
DrO
New Member:
Marcom

Posted on Monday, Aug 29, 2005 - 10:56 am:

Dr.O,
thanks for the quick response. I have read everything I can thru the internet and of course all your info. Onset was very sudden with no previous history which is not typical for the "PO" diagnosis which usually has some chronic episodes of lameness. The lameness occurred 1 day after a round pen lesson in an outdoor round pen (no rocks and it had been worked so was not hard). He had usually been in an indoor arena so it was definitely a different surface than he was used to. Is it possible he suffered a mild case of road founder? I never did feel any heat in his hooves but he became very lame so suddenly it just doesn't sound like PO. Much of the internet info I have read does emphasize that PO is the diagnosis when the vet doesn't know whats wrong and is also found in totally sound horses. The xrays were taken with a standard xray machine but were displayed with a computer program so I am not sure about the accuracy of the 1 cm sole depth. It looked like plenty of sole to me & thats why I can't understand why he is so lame. He is very sore when tested with hoof testers (over the entire foot). Should I be doing follow up xrays at some point--I noticed from some of the posts under founder/navicular that other owners did not see changes in the xrays initially but did see them later on. Also, when I questioned my vet about not seeing bruising almost 2 months after the onset of lameness he said we should see it next time he is trimmed and his shoes reset. If this lameness is from bruised soles, is it possible for it to take 14 weeks to show up in the sole?
thanks again,
Kim
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 30, 2005 - 6:36 am:

I road foundered/bruised a horse once that took months for the horse to come sound but he improved steadily throughout. You don't always see bleeding with bruising and when you see bleeding it is not always associated with pain. Are the feet white? How lame is your horse and how has the lameness progressed over the last 3 months? If this has worsened recently the bruising may have led to abcessation or founder.
DrO
New Member:
Marcom

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 31, 2005 - 12:37 am:

Dr. O
I talked again to my farrier and he reassured me he saw no signs of founder (ie. no inflammation of the white line, no heat and so far no rotation of the coffin bone). He is mildly lame when worked on soft dirt, moderately lame when worked on a hard surface and severely lame at the trot under saddle. Tried 3 different saddles (which have fit fine before) and he was lame with all three. The vet also checked for heat along his back and shoulders with thermography (not sure thats the right name for it)--no hot spots were found. Under saddle his head bobs are easily a foot or more up and down. Very dramatic to watch and even worse to feel from the saddle. For now I am going to continue his bute, isox etc and just let him take it easy. He is getting adequate biotin according to your articles but needs more methionine that the current supplement provides so I'll look for a more balanced hoof supplement. We are going for small walks on the grass for exercise. One of his front feet is white (the worse one of course) and the other is the classic striped appaloosa foot. His lameness has not worsened or improved partly due to the equithane we put in the previous shoeing only staying in for 2 weeks. My farrier was careful to check for an abcess when he redid the shoes after our xrays. I'm going to have a different vet recheck him with xrays etc before his next shoeing to make sure nothing has changed. Thanks again for all the great advise and support.
Kim
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 31, 2005 - 5:45 am:

Kim, such a head bob suggests to me he is primarily lame on one front leg, horses bilaterally lame tend to look stiff without much head bob.
DrO
New Member:
Marcom

Posted on Sunday, Sep 4, 2005 - 2:17 am:

Dr.O,
When lunged he was short strided, his head bob (only slight) was on which ever front leg was on the inside, when under saddle I think his left front (the white hoof) was where you saw the worse head bob--of course it was worse circling to the left.
I have change his hoof supplement to a better balanced one & changed the hoof protectant to one that is wax based as described in your articles. I also have scheduled an appt with a different vet for a 2nd opinion. He still shows no interest in trotting in our arena when turned loose, but at least he is more comfortable when I pick up one of his front feet (he doesn't try to pull it away and get it back on the ground).
I am still hoping this is just severe bruising, time will tell.
Thankyou again, I can't tell you how much it has helped to be able to get your input.
Kim
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Sep 4, 2005 - 10:08 am:

Keep us informed as to how you are doing Kim.
DrO
New Member:
Marcom

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 7, 2005 - 11:53 am:

Dr. O
When I turned him loose, Cody actually trotted in our indoor arena. You could still see soreness in his front feet but this is the first time he has tried to trot on his own. Hopefully, he is finally starting to feel better. When we walk outside his walk is back to his usual brisk pace. I still have my follow up appointment 9/27 with a vet that specializes with foot problems, so I'll let you know what the results are.
thanks again
Kim
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