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[RC] Old endurance horse lameness - rides2far@xxxxxxxx

Need some insight.

Case report: Buford 29 year old Appaloosa former endurance horse (over 1000 
miles) started coming in at a walk instead of trotting about 11 days back. 
After maybe 3 days of that I drove up to feed him last Wednesday and he was 
laying flat (looked dead) in the field. When I called him he lifted his head, 
then just lay back down. (not good). When he did get up he kept his left rear 
lifted off the ground. Was not willing to take a single step. Checked the hoof, 
nothing. Slight swelling inside fetlock.

That evening he was laying down again. Now the leg was really swollen. I gave 
him bute, checked hoof with testers, no reaction. Squeezed up and down the leg 
and he didn't appear sensitive anywhere. Tried doing a good scrape off with 
hoof knife to look for any sign of entry, nothing.  Wrapped with ichthammol & 
duct tape, gave bute.  He's in a 5 acre field but had Bonnie take his feed to 
him, keep a bucket of water & hay by him & give him bute while we were gone to 
Hahira.

Monday, owner had vet come out. Vet considered broken bone but I told him about 
the gradual onset walking in those 3 days (he usually trots) and that didn't 
fit. He also got no response on testers. Only prognosis he could come up with 
was cellulitis. He prescribed anti-biotics & bute but didn't seem hopeful. This 
vet is notorious for prescribing very low dosages of anti-biotics. (5 pills 
morning & evening for an 1100 lb horse). Last time he did this to me I had a 
vet friend look up the recommended dosage and she said give him 12. I figured 
anti-biotics may be his only chance since the horse's age makes anything 
drastic impractical, so I gave 12 and the owner went back for more (still got a 
tiny bottle 2nd time)

He's been getting 12 pills twice daily since last Monday. I ran out last night. 
He's still three-legged. He'll walk in to eat but walks on his toe. Leg is 
still swollen to the hock. Any ideas? There's no sign of a puncture anywhere. 
I've probed all through the hair, no sign of any serum or leakage. Feet look 
healthy. When it first happened he didn't mind me squeezing up and down his leg 
but vet noticed sensitivity if he pressed on the outside of the hock.

Any ideas? Advice? He's a noble old guy, looks great but has horribly lumpy 
arthritic knees. His muscling over his back looks like a 5 year old and his 
appetite is fine. I'm worried he'll get pnuemonia if he spends too much time 
laying down. At 29 we're definitely looking at quality of life decisions.

Any advice is welcome. 
Angie



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