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  Discussion on Injured horse that is very difficult w/farrier. Xylazine+Ace??
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Member:
vera

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 3:25 pm:

My 17 yo Trakehner mare came up with this mysterious hind end bilateral lameness about 3 years ago. I've never been able to get a good diagnosis, but that is probably for another thread. Anyway, she is absolutely horrible for the farrier to trim her feet. She hyperflexes her hind legs when lifted and gets very tense and nervous. I think that a lot of it is mental now b/c she has associated the farrier with pain. My vet says to give her bute for a few days before and after, but that does nothing. Should I give her Xylazine and Ace?
Member:
babychop

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 4:35 pm:

Personally I'd talk to another vet. Have you had her x-rayed? It sucks to think you'd have to sedate her every time you had her shod. Is she barefoot? If not, might that make a difference until you can sort this out? Just being nosy...
Member:
scooter

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 6:04 pm:

Angela my old girl has gotten so her back hooves can't be trimmed anymore, but it started being painful for her in her late teens, I've never gotten a firm diagnosis, but I suspect she has hock arthritis amongst other things.

When it started in her late teens a good dose of banamine helped and it was no problem. Have you tried a pain killer, might help you rule out pain over psychological.
Member:
vera

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 6:06 pm:

I've never had shoes on her and never will. I've done X-rays, ultrasound, and your basic flexion tests. the only thing that gave us a positive was the fetlock flexion test on both hind legs. She has little swellings behind her pasterns, global swelling around the fetlock, and windpuffs. For a long time I thought it was DSLD and it may be, but I don't know for sure. There was no trauma that I know of except just previously to this occuring, I changed barns and farrier. The new guy was leaving her toes long and heals really short. I think that this stressed her DDFT. I've actually gave her about 3.5cc of rompun before and it did nothing. She gets very stressed and probably overrides any sedation.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 7:10 pm:

Angela,That's why I would try the banamine or a high dose of bute, sedation did nothing for my mare, but a good dose of pain killers did....for awhile. I gave the banamine about an hour before the farrier, if I used bute...2 hrs. before.

She also has the fetlock swellings and I too suspected DSLD, but not sure either. I just retired her and as of about 2 yrs. ago I just quit having her hinds trimmed. Luckily she breaks them off her self pretty good. The vet and farrier said the only way to get her trimmed was lay em down tranq and I didn't want to do that...she is 28 or 29 now so I didn't think it worth it.

I started giving her pain meds and cleaning her feet, once she figured out it wouldn't hurt I called the farrier and it went pretty good for years, she had to put her legs down to rest more than a normal horse, but other than that it went well.

If you think it is behavioral, try working with her daily until she is less stressed, takes awhile sometimes. Just go out pick up her feet, put them down, every once in awhile increasing the time. give treat and praise or whatever she likes repeat.
Member:
vera

Posted on Friday, Jul 18, 2008 - 10:15 am:

I don't have Banamine so what would be a high dose of bute? The farrier/trimmer is coming out tonight so I gave her 2g of bute this morning and I plan on giving her 2g about 1.5 hours before the trimming. Does that sound right?
Member:
scooter

Posted on Friday, Jul 18, 2008 - 2:05 pm:

Yes 2 grams is what I gave my mare. Usually 2 in morning and 2 about 2 hrs. before trimming. So sounds good, let us know how it goes...good luck.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 21, 2008 - 8:50 am:

Hello AngelaS,
If painful yes NSAID's may help. If this is simply a behavioral problem sedation and retraining will help but the symptoms and breed are suspicious for shivers currently lumped in as a form of rhabdomyolysis. For more on this condition see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Rhabdomyolysis: Tying Up, Shivers, PSSM, EPSM.
DrO
Member:
vera

Posted on Monday, Jul 21, 2008 - 10:20 am:

Actually, I talked to a vet at Mizzou once that suspected that as well. I'm going to look into that more. Thank you. Also, the farrier/trimmer had to reschedule so I don't have any results to report, but I'll get back with info on how the bute works this time.
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