Why is my horse suddenly severely lame?

Have you ever come home from and gone out to see your horse only to find that they’re hobbling around on three, with no obvious sign of trauma or any other issues? You think back to the morning, and there was no indication that anything was wrong. Your horse was happy to see you, happy to eat breakfast. What could have happened?

Unfortunately, here in Colorado, that is an all-too-common scenario, and one that we see regularly in our practice. The vast majority of the time that a horse shows these signs, the diagnosis is a hoof abscess – nasty infections within the foot that can very quickly leave a horse on 3 legs.

An abscess is an infection that is creating pus.  This pus, along with the swelling associated with the infection, causes a significant amount of pressure – especially within the hoof capsule.  As this pressure develops, the horse becomes more and more lame, and the act of putting weight on the hoof causes the pressure to build even more.

The signs associated with hoof abscesses are usually sudden severe lameness, and often a distinct or throbbing pulse in the affected foot.  There can be pain associated with palpation of the coronary band on the affected foot, but not always.

 How did your horse get that abscess, and why is it so common in Colorado?

Unfortunately, our environment lends itself to creating these issues.  The dry ground our horses live on causes dry hooves, which have a tendency to get bruised.  A bruise in the bottom of the equine foot is a petri dish waiting to happen.  Add a little bit of water to the ground and as the foot soaks it in, along come the bacteria and shortly thereafter, the abscess.

Hoof abscesses are certainly a common issue within our practice, and with proper treatment and care, they can resolve quickly and return your horse to 100%.  But to prevent complications, and be assured that an abscess is the correct diagnosis, you should involve your vet quickly. It is always possible that the lameness is a fracture or break, or cellulitis.

So keep an eye on your horse, and if they suddenly come up lame for seemingly no reason whatsoever, give us a call!

Happy spring everyone.

 

Trail First Aid. What Do I Need?

trail

QUESTION:
My wife and I were out riding over the weekend, and are relatively new to horses and her horse tripped and fell to her knees. The mare stood up quickly, and walked out of it ok. There were a couple of skinned areas on her knees and ankles, but nothing appeared significant. When we got home we cleaned her up as well as we could. We asked our friends what we should keep with us on the trail? I think that we have a pretty good list, but would like your input.

ANSWER:
When deciding what first aid items should come with you, consider the terrain you will be riding in, how far you will be from the trailhead/barn and the possible “emergencies” that could arise for your horse.

One of the most common injuries on the trail is a laceration- from a small scratch to a significant cut. As veterinarians, we’ve seen the full spectrum of wounds coming in from a trail ride, and they can happen from head to toe. When dealing with a laceration, the first step is to control bleeding. If you are carrying at least some basic bandage materials (which is never a bad idea) including sterile pads, some roll cotton, and some vet wrap, you can apply a pressure bandage. Call us about the varying bandaging techniques used on the horse’s oddly shaped legs. The bandage will also help with the second most important goal of wound care, keeping the wound clean until you can get your horse to the vet, or a vet to him.

No matter the terrain, there is always the possibility of colic with a horse. Dehydration can be a risk factor for colic. Decreased water intake prior to a ride, a significant amount of physical exertion, and even the length between drinks can cause dehydration in your horse. While not every dehydrated working horse experiences colic, the longer that they are dehydrated, the more likely colic is to occur. If your horse doesn’t drink well away from home, or frets on the trailer, using paste electrolytes to increase his desire to drink before the ride, will help him to “tank up”, as well as keeping his electrolyte loss minimized. Knowing your horses’ fitness level and his ability level will help prevent overworking your horse. Again, if you know your horse is going to exercise more than normal, electrolytes can help prevent an issue. Ask us about whether or not you should have a dose of Banamine (Flunixin Meglumine) with you on longer trail rides or overnight pack trips.

One other piece of a trail first aid kit is a section of old garden hose about 12 inches in length. This odd piece of “first aid” equipment is in the event that you and your horse run across a rattlesnake. It may seem strange, but the most common spot for a horse to be bitten by a rattlesnake is on the nose. The horse is usually trying to figure out what was making all of that noise. The horse’s nose will begin to swell, and can eventually reduce the amount of air he can more through the nose, to the point of suffocation. That’s when the garden hose comes in handy- the horse may not be happy about it, but it may save his life. If you are not familiar with what to do, be sure to ask us about how to properly use this technique.

The goals of first aid on the trail range from keeping a scratch clean to potentially stabilizing your horse until professional help can be obtained. As with many situations, a little first aid forethought and preparation can help your horse, and possibly even save their life. We have found that the following things can be a good starting point for a first aid kit, but feel free to ask us about what works best for your situation.

  • First Aid Kit
  • Stethoscope
  • Thermometer
  • Bandage Scissors
  • Flashlight/headlamp
  • 4×4 gauze pads (20-50)
  • Sheet or Roll cotton
  • 6” gauze roll
  • 3” or 4” Elastikon roll (1 or 2)
  • Vet wrap
  • Telfa (non-stick) pads
  • Plastic cup
  • Anti-bacterial hand soap or Anti-septic soap
  • Anti-bacterial first aid ointment (Neosporin or similar)
  • 12” length of garden hose

Suspensory Ligament Injuries

QUESTION:
I am considering a 9 year old mare, as a horse for my daughter and future grandchildren. The mare has seen a vet for a torn suspensory ligament. I have met the horse and was impressed with her disposition. I noted the ‘droopy’ hind foot when I watched her walk. My concern is of safety for my daughter and future grandchildren. I did some internet research of this injury, and am now leery of using the mare. We are pleasure riders only, and the mare would be ridden lightly. Loping in a pasture and some light trail rides would be considered. I fear this mare could possibly reinjure her ligaments, causing us to stable her and not use her as we would desire.

What is the mare’s prognosis? How safe would she be? What is the likelihood of reinjuring the leg? Does she require special shoes?

ANSWER:
To be able to answer the specific questions above, we would need to see and examine the horse in question. But certainly we can cover the general information about suspensory ligament desmitis (inflammation of the suspensory ligament). Suspensory ligament injuries can be very difficult for a horse to return to full work. There are a couple of possible scenarios leading to these injuries. The first is trauma induced (like a sprain), and the second is a degenerative disease (though this usually occurs in multiple limbs). According to some texts, approximately 55% of all horses with a traumatic suspensory injury can return to their original use levels.
With the information given above, there is certainly a high index of suspicion of a traumatic injury, which has not completely healed. In this case, a lameness exam would allow us to accurately assess and diagnose the condition of this horse. With the exam, a veterinarian would have a better idea as to the nature of the injury, and the long term effects, including prognosis for use or possibility for re-injury.

Sudden severe lameness. What are the signs of a hoof abscess?

QUESTION:
I left for work this morning and my 9 year old gelding was moving normally at that time. When I returned home, he was extremely lame, not wanting to place any weight on his Left front foot. After looking him over, I could not find any swelling or heat in the leg. I talked with my veterinarian over the phone, and he explained that it was likely a hoof abscess. Could you discuss hoof abscesses here?

ANSWER:
This is a very common scenario…one day the horse is fine, and the next, he is extremely lame with no apparent injury. Without swelling on the limb, and any other marks / wounds, this is most likely a hoof abscess.

Hoof abscesses occur when bacteria make their way into the sensitive portion of the foot, and begin to create pus within the confines of the foot. With no easy way to expand, and the growing amount of pus, the pressure increases, and begins to cause severe pain. The bacteria usually finds its way in with the assistance of moisture, making abscesses much more common during the winter and spring months.

The signs associated with hoof abscesses are usually severe lameness, and often a more distinct or throbbing pulse in the affected foot. There can be pain associated with palpation of the coronary band on the affected foot.
Hoof abscesses are certainly a common issue within our practice, and with proper treatment and care, can resolve quickly. It is certainly a condition that an owner should involve a vet quickly, to prevent any complications and assure that an abscess is the correct diagnosis.