Teej
21st October 2011, 01:57 PM
Some of you may remember when I posted about Baby being injured in the field after our fences were broken down by thieves trying to access the industrial site next door.
A bit of history, the vet nerve blocked the foot (toe and pastern) but suspected it was the fetlock which was quite puffy. She couldn't do any further nerve blocks as Baby wasn't having it and thought every touch thereafter was a needle so that was that! Digital pulse normal & no indication of laminitis. No reaction at all to the hoof testers. A few days later the farrier came out to trim, again digital pulse normal but she pulled back in response to the hoof testers and farrier said it was probably a mild case of laminitis but even he was baffled at no sign of heat & normal digital pulse. Knowing Baby, I'm convinced (& vet agrees) that Baby was just reacting to being touched rather than to pain!! She stood happily munching her hay whilst he trimmed all of her feet after that! He suggested I collect some Danilon from the vet which I did but didn't need to use it because she was sound, even in trot!!
So a week later, something spooked them in the field and off she went charging around. The next morning she was hopping lame again :( & I brought her in an box rested her for 7 days, letting her out to graze in a tiny fenced off area whilst we mucked out. I gradually increased her turnout, still in small area until she was ready to go back out with Chip. That was last Thursday.
She's been doing so well, even trotting up sound inhand. The plan was for Lauren to ride her up the lane and back this weekend (10-15 minutes). Last night we walked her inhand in her field & she was fine for the first 10 minutes but after her trot, she started playing up, vertical rearing which is what she does when you lunge her :rolleyes: It's all good natured to her and I'm sure she does it to entertain us because her antics make us laugh but not what we wanted her to do this time! :( She's clearly 'undone' all the healing that has taken place and re-strained her fetlock or whatever again!
I've just had a long chat to the vet and the fact that she was so supportive and not trying to make a quick buck really touched me (stupid I know but I have dealt with vets in the past who want to take the most expensive route!). It was my suggestion to x-ray & scan but the vet has said to hold fire as even if we do scan & x-ray, box rest will be the recommendation & in this case because she has been sound, its not likely to be a tendon injury or anything equally as damaging. I'm collecting some more Danilon tonight and will call the vet back on Tuesday with an update. The next step, if necessary will be to nerve block the fetlock.
There are a couple of positives -box rest has helped Baby to lose some weight (lack of exercise + good doer not a great combination) and Chip isn't stressing in the field on his own anymore. Baby on the other hand was very stressed this morning in the stable 'alone' and had sweated up. She can actually see both Chip and the YOs mare from her stable so hopefully she'll settle down - I hated leaving her in that state but had to get to work :( I spent about 10 minutes with her before leaving and she became nice and calm, even licked me on the mouth :eek: but she started stressing again as I was driving out, I stopped the car outside her stable for a bit until she started eating her hay..... which has lots of bits of carrot hidden in it - but she's not a happy pony today :( I worry that her box walking, stressing, kicking out will do her more damage. Chip will be in with her at night but I hope she settles during the day or box resting her will be a waste of time!
Didn't mean for that to be so long !
A bit of history, the vet nerve blocked the foot (toe and pastern) but suspected it was the fetlock which was quite puffy. She couldn't do any further nerve blocks as Baby wasn't having it and thought every touch thereafter was a needle so that was that! Digital pulse normal & no indication of laminitis. No reaction at all to the hoof testers. A few days later the farrier came out to trim, again digital pulse normal but she pulled back in response to the hoof testers and farrier said it was probably a mild case of laminitis but even he was baffled at no sign of heat & normal digital pulse. Knowing Baby, I'm convinced (& vet agrees) that Baby was just reacting to being touched rather than to pain!! She stood happily munching her hay whilst he trimmed all of her feet after that! He suggested I collect some Danilon from the vet which I did but didn't need to use it because she was sound, even in trot!!
So a week later, something spooked them in the field and off she went charging around. The next morning she was hopping lame again :( & I brought her in an box rested her for 7 days, letting her out to graze in a tiny fenced off area whilst we mucked out. I gradually increased her turnout, still in small area until she was ready to go back out with Chip. That was last Thursday.
She's been doing so well, even trotting up sound inhand. The plan was for Lauren to ride her up the lane and back this weekend (10-15 minutes). Last night we walked her inhand in her field & she was fine for the first 10 minutes but after her trot, she started playing up, vertical rearing which is what she does when you lunge her :rolleyes: It's all good natured to her and I'm sure she does it to entertain us because her antics make us laugh but not what we wanted her to do this time! :( She's clearly 'undone' all the healing that has taken place and re-strained her fetlock or whatever again!
I've just had a long chat to the vet and the fact that she was so supportive and not trying to make a quick buck really touched me (stupid I know but I have dealt with vets in the past who want to take the most expensive route!). It was my suggestion to x-ray & scan but the vet has said to hold fire as even if we do scan & x-ray, box rest will be the recommendation & in this case because she has been sound, its not likely to be a tendon injury or anything equally as damaging. I'm collecting some more Danilon tonight and will call the vet back on Tuesday with an update. The next step, if necessary will be to nerve block the fetlock.
There are a couple of positives -box rest has helped Baby to lose some weight (lack of exercise + good doer not a great combination) and Chip isn't stressing in the field on his own anymore. Baby on the other hand was very stressed this morning in the stable 'alone' and had sweated up. She can actually see both Chip and the YOs mare from her stable so hopefully she'll settle down - I hated leaving her in that state but had to get to work :( I spent about 10 minutes with her before leaving and she became nice and calm, even licked me on the mouth :eek: but she started stressing again as I was driving out, I stopped the car outside her stable for a bit until she started eating her hay..... which has lots of bits of carrot hidden in it - but she's not a happy pony today :( I worry that her box walking, stressing, kicking out will do her more damage. Chip will be in with her at night but I hope she settles during the day or box resting her will be a waste of time!
Didn't mean for that to be so long !