Posted by Patty Stiller on September 07, 2003 at 19:28:30:
In Reply to: lameness posted by charlotte on September 07, 2003 at 10:59:08:
: My 5yo TB bruised a sole around 2 months ago so he had time off to let it heal. When brought back into work (walking in a sand school initially) he seemed sound (he has always been sound in walk) but when i started trot work he was obviously still lame. He is shod by a good farrier. I called the vet who was concerned about his back-so then got a back specialist out, who then said it was his front feet (she is very knowledgeable, i hold her in high regard). His coronet band is slightly raised, she said a possibility of a damaged coffin bone? I am unsure of what to do next, as i have limited funds. He was due to be sold before he went lame, i dont really want to spend lots if he is unlikely to ever come right (before all this he did polocrosse successfully as well as eventing) he has the kindest temperament. His pelvis has also 'slumped' on one side-requiring special shoes. I am undecided whether to go all out for treatment or to have him put down?
oEven if you have limitef funds, it does not seem logical to put a horse down before you get more a more complete diagnosis, incuding disgnostic nerve bolcks and XRays of the feet .
You may find that there IS a damaged coffin bone and decide to destroy him, or you may find that the feet are simply not in balance as seen internally and need different shoeing to align things correct the sopurce of hte pain.
"Raised" hairlines can be indicative of certain shoeing issues, especially heels which are not being adequately trimemd back and therefore curl forward under the foot. That consdition is a very common man-made cause of heel pain and lameness, sometimes severe. Leaving heel on a foot is a commonly accepted and taught practice to attempt to align the bones inside, but often causes secondary problems such as this. I know some horses (in the UK especially) which were due to be destroyed just shod with a diffeent approach.
So please consider taking the time (and expense) to get another veterinarian to examine the feet thoroughly and see what is going on before you make the horse a total loss by euthanizing him. It is epsecially important to asess bone alignment in the foot,(is the coffin joint correctly aligned ) and the breakover point of the shoe relative to the end of the coffin bone. This cannot be done without XRays. And if you can, post some very close up pictures of his shoeign,from the sides, bottom and front on the web somewhere so folks here can see them and perhaps make some general suggestions.
Patty