Need Advice Concerning Dislocated/Injured Hip in Mini

[haydenfoxtrotters]

HI,

I am new to this forum but desperately need mini advice from those that know them so well. My mini, Chauncey is 14 yrs old and has been a special addition to our foxtrotters...he thinks he's big too! Anyway, we just got through a hard winter where he foundered (he IS insulin resistant) and got him through it with supplements (HEIRO) to bring down the insulin, others to maintain sugar levels and fed plain grass hay and Purina wellsolve low starch formula. I mention this because he was in his stall and riding arena most of the winter so was not as strong as usual.

Two weeks ago we went on vacation and when I returned found him injured in the back hip area. Called the vet and she couldn't get a high enough xray to view the hip joint(stifle was fine) because of the size of their equipment and the thickness she said of the area to be viewed. She thinks it must be a fractured femur head only because it is dislocated and he can't walk on it. I am giving him Equioxx and he perked up in a few days and whinies, eats acts like he isn't in much pain. There doesn't seem to be much swelling either but he is sensitive to the hip area when touched there. I go and massage this leg up to the hip and apply dmso. My vet is pressuring me to give up on it, by I don't see the harm if he isn't in too much pain and we don't know for sure if there is a fracture or not. She has not worked with many minis so was wondering if anyone had a similar experience and the outcome.

By the way, it has been a wet and mucky spring so he could have slipped or done the splits or who knows what!

Thanks in advance for any advice! Chauncey is very dear to us.

Tamara

Thanks so much!

Tamara

 

[Genie]

Sorry I have not had any experience with this, but you have come to the right place to get some answers.

Someone will have some ideas for you.

 

[Keri]

Is there a way to get a different vets opinion?? I've encountered some vets that won't work on minis and just say give up. I called over half the vets in Utah/Southern Idaho about a stifle surgery. Only found 3 that would work on him. Not sure why some vets are that way.

Other than that, I don't know anything about hip problems. Good luck!!

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Do you have an equine chiropractor or acupuncture specialist in your area? If so you may want to talk to them about it however they will probably want to make sure there isnt a fracture before working on him. My mare got hung up in gates and hurt her hips and when she loped or trotted she had to move the back legs together, it looked horrible. We had chiropractic and acupuncture done on her and she is now good as new. It is just something to look into but may not be possible for you if it truly is fractured or broken.

 

[MountainMeadows]

There are several of us here on the Forum who have had to deal with this situation. Teresa from Rockin R, Jan @ Wild Oak and myself as well. It is a rocky road with a lot of ups and downs, I am sure that any one of us would be more than happy to share our experiences. Feel free to call me is you would like - my cell is (206) 979-0505.

Stacy

 

[haydenfoxtrotters]

[Thank you for the responses. Keri is correct in the fact that I think some vets just don't want to do too much with a mini or they view them as the same situation as a big horse although we are talking about alot less weight.

The second vet I had out here is the chiropractor vet in the area (north Idaho) but doesn't want to do anything it seems because she has never seen a dislocated hip...that's part of the reason I did the forum, to see if that happens.

I did call another vet further north, unfortunately she doesn't travel this far south so would have to trailer him and with him not walking don't know if that would be wise at the moment.Maybe in the future though. She was very encouraging because she has the love of minis and says yes they can injure their pelvis without fracturing the femur (We could see by xrays some of the femur and it looked fine...if there was a fracture it would be at the very head of it). She suggested giving him more stall rest and anti inflammatories and see if there is a change. She has a mini that blew out a cruisiate (sp??) and gets around fine without pain because she is smaller.

Stacy, I will give you a call later....when I have a little more time. what time zone are you in? I'm in pacific standard time.

Tamara

 

[MountainMeadows]

Tamara

I am on PST also - I will be in the car for about 3 hours in the morning from around 7 am on - so feel free to give me a buzz, or it you prefer, I will be home and settled into the house after around 7 pm -- my home number is (425) 788-5184 and it might be less likely to drop the call!

Stacy