I need possitive thoughts tonite please

[Marty]

This is Sonny my 31 year old quarter horse, the love of my life. I put him out this morning around 9:00 am and decided to take a little video clip of him. I went about my barn chores and everything was fine with everyone before I went back inside the house. But somewhere within two hours,there he was screaming at the gate holding his foot up in the air. He's dead lame. I have no idea what could have happened out there but he cannot set weight on one front leg. I can't find anything that indicates heat, pulseing anywhere in the leg, ankle, examined the foot completely so I am completely stumped. I checked for abcess, thought of a snake bite but I can't see anything that would indicate that either. I have hosed his leg down a million times and gave him enough bute to stop a herd of elephants and there is no change yet as of tonight but he is eating and drinking. He does have a history of having one laminitis attack three years ago in one foot and has horrible feet anyway, but there are no signs of a flare up and I doubt two hours that could happen. Its obvious he was fine when he went out.

I'm so upset you cannot even imagine. Please tell me how we go from this to dead lame in two hours. Ideas ae welcome. We'd appreciate good thoughts.

 

[Eagle]

Lovely video! I would have the vet out for an x-ray just to be sure, at that age a buck and twist is all it takes.

I am sending prayers that it is nothing and that Sonny will be just fine tomorrow.

 

[ohmt]

Hugs for you and prayers for Sonny. He is a beauty

 

[Helicopter]

What a handsome fellow.

Certainly doesn't look 31 years old.

I'm hoping for an abcess.

Sending all good thoughts for you and your boy.

 

[AnnaC]

What a beautiful boy!

After watching the video twice very carefully, I would say he is favouring his black front leg - just shows in the few trotting steps as he is moving away from the camera. Of course this could be my imagination/could be the way he normally moves/could even be caused by a slight stiffness in his back end?

Is it the black foreleg that he is lame in? If so perhaps he did something in his stall over night and a roll/scamper about while you were doing your chores has made it worse?

I think a call to your vet might be the answer Marty, but you could leave it an hour or two, just in case he has given his leg a 'jerk/pull' (like we sometimes do when walking wrong on an ankle) and the pain starts to ease with rest alone?

Poor boy, sending prayers and good wishes to you both.

Anna

 

[bannerminis]

He is just beautiful and in amazing condition for 31 yrs young, the shine would dazzle you.

I think he has either done himself a mischief or maybe its drop. Also it could be possible that the damage is up higher and is muscular and he is slow then to put weight on his leg - might also explain why there is no heat or pulse.

Hope he gets better soon.

 

[happy appy]

He is looking like he is off on the diagional line, front right back left which would mean a back issue. Is this video before the dead lameness happened or after?

 

[sfmini]

Maybe something similar to what is happening to me? I have cartilage that is curling in my left knee. When it does, I go from pain free to a 20 on the scale from 0 - 10 and can't bear weight for a few days while I am grinding it down. Once it is ground down, I am suddenly sound and pain free until it curls again. Ortho doc says eventually I will run out of cartilage and then we will "have to do something". Hopefully I won't run out for a LONG time. Maybe Sunny is experiencing something similar? That would explain the sudden lameness, lack of heat and swelling.

 

[madmax]

Marty, this happened to my horse once and it turned out to be in the shoulder.

I could mash on it,etc., and got no reaction, but he would not put his foot down

without a big lurch. Never improved enough with the pain pills so I had to have it xrayed, he had a fracture, how did he do it? Only he knows. \Stall rest for weeks.

I hope Sonny is better by the time you read this! Positive thoughts always.

 

[wildoak]

Could be so many things, but abscess sure comes to mind since it came on so quickly. He sure doesn't look his age, by 30 Shadow's back had really dropped & she'd lost so much condition...he looks great! Hope it's something minor.

Jan

 

[Watcheye]

He looks so nice! I hope he is ok!

 

[wingnut]

{{{{ Marty & Sonny }}}}

I have no advice but will be keeping you both in my prayers today.

 

[Riverrose28]

sorry I have dial up and can't watch the vedio, but I have a mini mare stalled right now because first thing in the morning she was fine, but when we went out to feed she was dead lame in her left front leg. Of course she couldn't tell me what happened but she also had a small scrape over her left eye and another one on her nose, it looked as though she had fallen. She wasn't putting any weight on the leg at all and she tripoded her way to the barn. She was holding the leg forward but could bend all joints just fine. Vet came out and since no swelling any where it was in the upper area. Turned out she has a hairline fracture 2"s above her elbow, and she is now on stall rest for 12 weeks. It has been two weeks now and she is putting some weight on it. Good luck, hope your vet finds out what it is. The first thing mine thought was hoof abcess too.

 

[supaspot]

I wouldnt try to give advice without seeing him close up and moving on a halter but I just wanted to say ...hes a credit to you , he looks fantastic and youd never believe hes that age , oh and I much prefer his type of quarter horse , the ones they are breeding these days look more like beef cattle than horses , cant imagine any of them running a decent race either !

 

[Sandy B]

He looks amazing for 31! You have done a phenomenal job keeping a senior looking fit and healthy!

Here is the deal- we can all guess as to what the problem is but he needs to be seen if he is not bearing weight. Any type of non bearing weight injury needs immediate veterinarian attention. Some people have mentioned an abscess, but I find that hard to believe that in 2 hours he would go from typical stiff older horse to dead lame in the snap of a finger. I have had vets tell me three things cause a non weight bearing- abscess, dislocation and fracture. If there was no heavy pulse or heat in affected foot, then it would lead me to believe it was one of the others. Even with no obvious lower limb swelling, there could be a problem in his shoulder or elbow.

 

[Hosscrazy]

He looks great Marty! Sure sounds like an abcess, it just hasn't presented itself yet to an area where you can see it. Hope he feels better soon!

Liz N.

 

[Royal Crescent]

He looks amazing for 31! You would never guess his age. I am adding my thoughts and prayers for a good outcome.

Barb

 

[Allure Ranch]

Best wishes for your BIG beautiful boy.....

 

[Charlotte]

Oh Marty, he is a beautiful horse in beautiful condition! You have obviously given him a wonderful life. I hope his lameness improves quickly.

 

[sedeh]

What a handsome boy!! You can tell how great you take care of him by that shine on his coat! I know you have trouble getting a vet out to your place but with a sudden non-wt bearing issue it's the only advice I have. When it happens that quickly I usually think "injury". He did look slightly off in the video...but he's 31! Let us know how it goes.