Well, hi!
Alright, long story, so stay with me...
First off, a few weeks ago, my 13yr. paint mare was lame in the front left. Slight swelling in the inside of the cannon bone, just below the knee, but barely detectable. No heat anywhere else, although I think her hood might have been slightly warm, and the coronet band might have been slightly swollen. No reaction to pressure, although she was lame on it.
It went away after a few days, ect.
Then, a week later, it was lame again. Still slight swelling in the same places, no digital pulse again, coronet band, ect. But then, the back right leg was really bad. No swelling, or heat, but she didn't want weight on it. She'd sometimes pick it totally off the ground and hold it up, and then rest the tip of her hoof, or stick it on the ground other times... She'd have to hop to walk. When she stood, the front left would have weight, but it would be out to the side, and the front right would be taking most of the strain.
The back right would usually be resting, although she'd put weight on it every so often.
So, the farrier came out after a few days, said (I think; I wasn't there) that the front left seemed fine, but she totally freaked when he clamped on the back right to something. Said she had old abscesses on the back right (other farriers said old ones on the fronts), and one he couldn't get to. (Seems to be in the heel, but he didn't say that). Vet came out to drill it the next day, but couldn't find it. (Do sign of draining).
So, he doesn't know what's wrong.
That was on Wed. and Thurs. Today (Sat.), her front left is totally swollen all along the inside of the cannon. It was not like that Sun./Mon., and obviously not Wed. (She was still lame the whole week). She seems to not like pressure on it, under the ankle seems swollen, there's heat on the cannon, and hoof. Now the front right is getting swollen, probably from compensating.
The back right is still the same. She'll rest it, but not rest it with full weight on it. Just the tip, or sometimes most of the hoof.
I looked, and I think maybe the abscess came out, but I stuck an Epson Salt poultice on it for a bit, just in case.
The strange thing is that she doesn't seem lame on the concrete aisle, and not at all in the sand arena. (Just moved to the stable yesterday morning). Her head bobs a bit, so I think it hurts her, obviously.
She took a few trot steps, and about fell over, limping so bad.
I walked her for about a half hour, and the swelling went down slightly, but not much. I also hosed her twice (20 minutes all together), and it didn't do anything.
She hasn't had turn out for maybe a week. (But she probably sloshed around in her open access paddock the whole week.)
I think the vet's coming out again in a few days to maybe take x-rays.
I gave her two grams of bute, wrapped that back right hoof, hosed front left twice, walked half hour, and then wrapped all the legs.
So, what do you think? (Yes, I'm sorry it's long, and it's super hard to tell without pictures, but if you'd like to say whatever, I'd appreciate it.)
I'm worried about a splint in the front left. (I think the vet mentioned something about that). Probably a false one, seeing as he thinks she was kicked, either by herself, or another horse. Seeing as she's been lame over a week, (just started the huge swelling recently though...), a fracture?
Alright, long story, so stay with me...
First off, a few weeks ago, my 13yr. paint mare was lame in the front left. Slight swelling in the inside of the cannon bone, just below the knee, but barely detectable. No heat anywhere else, although I think her hood might have been slightly warm, and the coronet band might have been slightly swollen. No reaction to pressure, although she was lame on it.
It went away after a few days, ect.
Then, a week later, it was lame again. Still slight swelling in the same places, no digital pulse again, coronet band, ect. But then, the back right leg was really bad. No swelling, or heat, but she didn't want weight on it. She'd sometimes pick it totally off the ground and hold it up, and then rest the tip of her hoof, or stick it on the ground other times... She'd have to hop to walk. When she stood, the front left would have weight, but it would be out to the side, and the front right would be taking most of the strain.
The back right would usually be resting, although she'd put weight on it every so often.
So, the farrier came out after a few days, said (I think; I wasn't there) that the front left seemed fine, but she totally freaked when he clamped on the back right to something. Said she had old abscesses on the back right (other farriers said old ones on the fronts), and one he couldn't get to. (Seems to be in the heel, but he didn't say that). Vet came out to drill it the next day, but couldn't find it. (Do sign of draining).
So, he doesn't know what's wrong.
That was on Wed. and Thurs. Today (Sat.), her front left is totally swollen all along the inside of the cannon. It was not like that Sun./Mon., and obviously not Wed. (She was still lame the whole week). She seems to not like pressure on it, under the ankle seems swollen, there's heat on the cannon, and hoof. Now the front right is getting swollen, probably from compensating.
The back right is still the same. She'll rest it, but not rest it with full weight on it. Just the tip, or sometimes most of the hoof.
I looked, and I think maybe the abscess came out, but I stuck an Epson Salt poultice on it for a bit, just in case.
The strange thing is that she doesn't seem lame on the concrete aisle, and not at all in the sand arena. (Just moved to the stable yesterday morning). Her head bobs a bit, so I think it hurts her, obviously.
She took a few trot steps, and about fell over, limping so bad.
I walked her for about a half hour, and the swelling went down slightly, but not much. I also hosed her twice (20 minutes all together), and it didn't do anything.
She hasn't had turn out for maybe a week. (But she probably sloshed around in her open access paddock the whole week.)
I think the vet's coming out again in a few days to maybe take x-rays.
I gave her two grams of bute, wrapped that back right hoof, hosed front left twice, walked half hour, and then wrapped all the legs.
So, what do you think? (Yes, I'm sorry it's long, and it's super hard to tell without pictures, but if you'd like to say whatever, I'd appreciate it.)
I'm worried about a splint in the front left. (I think the vet mentioned something about that). Probably a false one, seeing as he thinks she was kicked, either by herself, or another horse. Seeing as she's been lame over a week, (just started the huge swelling recently though...), a fracture?