[smudger]

My mare came in hopping lame (and I mean hopping lame, distressing to see at best of times, 10x worse in a mare weeks off foaling). I could see she was very swollen on pastern and fetlock but no sole pain. I treated as you would usually but kept worrying myself about laminitis especially as she was in classic stretched out leg pose.


Anyway called vets at midnight when I realised I would never sleep. The equine nurse said laminitis never presents with swelling, which reassured me. However, I have never seen that said anywhere so thought it may help any other neurotic horse owners (vet also said it never comes on suddenly as this did).


As a footnote vet says she has an abscess which has spread up her leg and is probably going to break out at the coronet band but at least not as serious as the big 'L'.

[Hevxxx99]

Ow! 

Hoof abcess? (aka gravel) or in her leg?  Not that it makes much difference: they both cause unbelievable "I've-broken-my-leg" lameness.

My Cleveland Bay has had gravel 3 times in 9 years.  It often seems to come on when it rains after a prolonged dry spell: apparently the dry shrinks the hoof and the wet then means dirt and infection can get drawn up the white line.  Once the pus breaks out, the lameness reduces to a slight hobble. Same with a leg abcess. I keep a close eye on his hooves these days: if you catch it soon enough you can prevent lameness.

Re laminitis: my pony suffered from it once years ago - I still have no idea why - but the classic stance DID come on overnight.  She had, in retrospect, however, been very low and off for a couple of weeks beforehand.  Her legs were a little puffy, not surprisingly as it is an inflamation, but not hugely noticeable.  What was obvious and I'm told is what to watch for, was the hard thumping pulse in her pasterns! 

She's only ever had it the once in the 27 years I've owned her.

[shygirl]

did she not show signs of lameness previously? absesses take a while to build up, and even longer to move up the leg. very painful so hopefully she'l feel relief once it bursts.
farriers can usually dig out the absess.