help-mare dragging leg

[kristi@berrett-ranch]

I went out to feed this morning and the mare that is the closest to foaling is dragging her right leg. Lately she has dropped considerably and has started passing loose stools. Last night when we fed she was walking fine, there is no signs of injury. We have rewinded the camera and watched but see nothing. My husband says it is like she has no feeling in her leg. I am wondering if the foal could be pinching a nerve as it is moving into position?

I have called the vet but he will not be here for another hour or so.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions

 

[tagalong]

I went out to feed this morning and the mare that is the closest to foaling is dragging her right leg. Lately she has dropped considerably and has started passing loose stools. Last night when we fed she was walking fine, there is no signs of injury. We have rewinded the camera and watched but see nothing. My husband says it is like she has no feeling in her leg. I am wondering if the foal could be pinching a nerve as it is moving into position?

I have called the vet but he will not be here for another hour or so.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions

The right hind leg?

From your description it sounds like it could also be a locked stifle and that can be resolved easily all on its own... can you ask her gently to back up?

I am glad you called the vet when you found something amiss - better safe than sorry...

 

[disneyhorse]

I agree it sounds like locking stifle to me, too... VERY common in miniatures and Shetland ponies (as I believe it is a bad trait bred into them genetically, people keep breeding horses that carry the trait because it isn't persistent, it comes and goes, and people justify all sorts of reasons why it isn't genetic) it can come and go and can be aggravated by inactivity and poor hoof trimming. Since she's close to foaling, she probably just hasn't been as active.

However, it's difficult to diagnose anything over the Internet, so of course have your vet out to look at it.

Hopefully it's not an injury of some type!

Good luck,

Andrea

 

[Carolyn R]

I would suspect it to be a locked stifle, I would think you would see it unlock and relock at some point, but....

I can't recall what forum member it was, but they had a mare, can't remember if she was in foal or not, that had an injured hip. Either fractured or dislocated. Can't remember for sure, everyone was shocked to hear the it was a hip injury. You don't know without a vet looking her over.

 

[Genie]

I had a mare close to foaling who seemed to be "locked" in her back legs, and could barely move. The vet said I could give her some banamine and she started to move a little better in a couple of days. They thought possibly the foal was pinching something. Don't know what it was but she foaled on the weekend following her two days of being barely able to walk and has been fine ever since.

 

[kristi@berrett-ranch]

Thank you all for your support! The vet said it was a locked stifle.

She is exhibiting some nervousness, not sure if it is the stifle or approaching of foaling. The vet said this condition should not be painful to her.

 

[Bonny]

So glad thats all it was . Healthy foaling vibes!

 

[kaykay]

Did you try backing her up to get it to go back in? Best wishes!

 

[kristi@berrett-ranch]

Did you try backing her up to get it to go back in? Best wishes!

It seems to pop back in but will pop out again. I feel so bad for her, the vet says it typically is not painful but it sure does look like it.

 

[Eagle]

I have a mare that does this regularly. As soon as the nice weather comes she will be out 24/7 so it will be fine. She is so bad sometimes as both stifles will go at the same time and she finds it hard to get out of the stable.

Needless to say I do not breed this mare!

 

[AnnaC]

I have a mare who has done this during a couple of her pregnancies in the last week before she foaled. Once foaled she was fine and it nas never occurred at any other time. I put it down to the foal dropping and causing her to move 'abnormally' to balance the 'new' distribution of weight. It hasn't happened with all her pregnancies and none of her daughters have done it, even when heavy in foal.

Hopefully your mare will be the same and will be back to normal as soon as the foal is born. Wishing you a safe foaling.

Anna

 

[Taylor Richelle]

Glad it was a locked stifle! One of my geldings has one and it locks every once in awhile. Doesn't seem to bother him at all. I just back him up a few times and it's all better. Glad your mare is alright