[RC] lameness question - vets?? - Mike & Kathy Kelly
About a month ago my 6 yo gelding was a little
off at the trot during a ride, so I decided to cut it short and walk him back
home. One the way he stumbled going thru some rocks, it felt like he went
down on his left knee, I jumped off to check and see how it looked, nothing
noticeable and he walked OK, so I didn't worry too much about it. A few
hrs later I looked out the window to see him very lame on his Right front
(not the one he went down on).
He was very lame on the front for about 2 days, and
during that time his whole knee got puffy. Then he started walking
much better, but a sweek later it was still swollen so I took him to my
vet. He had him trot out (lame) and did flexion tests, which he did not
respond to at all. Vet thought it was heel pain (no reaction to the hoof
testers, but said it could be deep in the heel) and didn't know why the knee was
swollen. Soon after, I have a good equine massage therapist work on him,
the muscles radiating out from his hips are very sore on both sides, she works
on him and he remains comfortable in the hips since then, a dramatic
improvement. She thinks the knee is an overuse injury (although I was
riding him lightly we had been starting some slow hill work and that might have
been the straw) that will heal quickly.
So 3 weeks later, knee is no longer puffy all over,
but more bumpy on the lower surface of the joint (front part of the knee, inside
lower area of the joint). He isn't lame at the walk, but I haven't seem
him trotting around like normal, and I haven't ridden him. I take him to
my vet again, thinking I should get it xrayed to rule out a chip. Vet says
he looks sound trotting on pavement (straight), although he agrees the knee is
still swollen, he says it is swelling of the jt capsule and xray wouldn't show
anything. Sees no reason to do xrays, says horse isn't having any
discomfort. Has me lunge him in a round pen, trotting both ways and
he looks good. Vet says I'm worrying too much and to start light riding
and see how it goes. I leave town for 2 days, return and see that his knee
is twice as swollen as it was when I took him to the vet 2 days ago (still
the front of the knee, but now the whole bottom 1/2 of the joint is puffy),
which I'm assuming is from the lunging. He looks sound walking
around.
I am still concerned about the knee, if it's
swollen something isn't right. Not sure if I should just continue to give
him more time off, or take him back for xrays or to another vet. Any
suggestions for me out there???
