Very strange thing happened

[mydaddysjag]

It really sounds like a locking stifle to me. Had the same thing happen to a horse at my place over the weekend. If you go on youtube.com you can search locking stifle, and a ton of videos will come up. This would show you what a locking stifle is, and might help you out. If it is what is going on with him, you could tell your vet you saw a video of a locking stifle, and it looks similar to what your boy is doing. If he is locked, your vet may be able to tell you over the phone what to do (mine suggests backing them up on a leadrope, the backing motion usually unlocks it). Your vet will still probably want to see him, but it would make it a much safer trip for him to the vet if he isnt locked.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Sounds like a locking stifle. I had one do that to me and scared me at first because I thought the leg was broken as she was just dragging it behind her. We put her in the stall overnight so she could see the vet. The next day she was fine, maybe a lil stiff but she could put weight on it, and she seemed even better with the trailer drive. Even though the vet didn't think it had anything to do with her stifle after researching what she did thats what it was and to this day she still has problems. So she is just a pet now.

 

[Mona]

Yes, it can be "popped back" into proper position. I should say that I have no personal experience with it in horses, but I did have a little Boston Terrier dog that it happened to, and it would lock outwards behind her, but after awhile she would get it back unlocked...until the next time! We had surgery done on her to end that suffering. She was less than a year old and after the surgery she never had any further problems with it.

This is most often a hereditary condition so I would strongly suggest not taking the chance on using him as a breeding stallion and passing it onto his offspring. Gelding would be my option of choice.

 

[Hawks_Eye_Minis]

My gelding had locking stifles when ii got him... I backed him ALOT did alot of walking up and down hills then backing up and down hills doesnt matter how big the hills are ect but hes now almost 4 and is almost 100% perfect...

TO ME it sounds like your boy has locked stiffles possibly... When hawks would lock it could be one or both at the same time hes drag his toes not able to pull them forward till the stiffles poped back in....

 

[shelia]

This does not sound like locking stifle. this sounds like an injury. Your horse seems to be in pain. locking stifle is not painful. i have not heard of a horse falling down fom a locking stifle.

How is he today?

 

[JAX]

I agree with Shelia, I have one that locks up and she never shows any signs of pain and I asked the vet and he says no it is not painful when they are locked it simply looks like it to us watching.

 

[islandminis]

I was able to talk with his previous owner last night - no never any episode while she had him and not that she knows of before that. He is still taking most of his weight on the left leg. when we had to shift him a bit last night to a safer area his left foot did go under like in the videos but because he can't seem to put much weight on the right it keeps him from moving his rear. Kind of double trouble. Getting him into town is proving difficult but his previous owner said she could come and get him... Now... since he can't stand very well on solid ground I have to figure out a way to stablise him in a moving trailer. If I put him in a sling is there a better way to put it on him?? Is this a bad idea?? visualise a wide strap under his belly near the hind legs and attatched to the sides of the trailer high enough to support but not have him swinging (feet on floor). He is getting tired of just standing and keeps walking his fronts back and forth in an arc. He does seem to move about a bit - I can tell because of where the poop piles are when I clean them up.

 

[shelia]

I was able to talk with his previous owner last night - no never any episode while she had him and not that she knows of before that. He is still taking most of his weight on the left leg. when we had to shift him a bit last night to a safer area his left foot did go under like in the videos but because he can't seem to put much weight on the right it keeps him from moving his rear. Kind of double trouble. Getting him into town is proving difficult but his previous owner said she could come and get him... Now... since he can't stand very well on solid ground I have to figure out a way to stablise him in a moving trailer. If I put him in a sling is there a better way to put it on him?? Is this a bad idea?? visualise a wide strap under his belly near the hind legs and attatched to the sides of the trailer high enough to support but not have him swinging (feet on floor). He is getting tired of just standing and keeps walking his fronts back and forth in an arc. He does seem to move about a bit - I can tell because of where the poop piles are when I clean them up.

I think it would be best to have a vet come out. If that is not possible I think you may have a pretty good idea about how to stablize him. It would have to be strong enough to support him though. He needs to be seen as soon as possible for the best chance of recovery.

 

[REO]

He needs to be seen by a vet now. I still say his joint is out & he needs medical attention. If he does end up in a trailer, it's going to cause him a LOT of pain. Can't a vet come see him where he is now?

 

[Minimor]

Yes, it can be "popped back" into proper position

Yes, a locking stifle can be popped back into place, but as I said in my earlier post--if the stifle is locked, she would not be able to position his foot flat on the ground. As long as the stifle is locked, with stifle & hock locked in an extended position and the fetlock flexed, it is anatomically impossible for the horse's foot to be placed flat on the ground. The only way that could be done is to unlock the stifle--and IF the stifle is locked in this instance, she has not described anything that suggests the stifle has been unlocked--if it were simply locked, once it was freed he would be able to walk (at least a step or two), up until it locked again. What she is describing does not sound at all like a simple case of locked stifle.
It's very dangerous for someone to describe ways to unlock a stifle in a case like this. Fortunately the owner hasn't tried any such thing. It could very well be that the horse has a fracture somewhere, or perhaps something (even the stifle, though it doesn't really sound like it's that) dislocated. If in a case like this the owner were to take the well intentioned suggestion that backing up can fix the problem and try to do it, it could cause untold harm (not to mention EXTREME pain) to the horse.

As far as stabilizing the horse for a trip to the vet--a sling may work, Besides a band under his belly I would be inclined to put a strap across his chest too, just to give him some extra front to back stability--something along the lines of the sort of sling they use if they have to air lift a horse out of somewhere. I'm not sure if that's a benefit in a trailer type sling or not?

I do hope you can get something figured out so you can get him to the vet soon. The poor fellow has to be very sore to be standing in one spot & just moving his front end around a bit. It really does make me think pelvic fracture--I had a Morgan mare that broke her pelvis one winter, and that's very much what she was like. I've never seen a horse so sore.

 

[rockin r]

I have to agree with Shelia, Jax and REO. I think this is an injury. It may not be a dis-located hip, but it could be. Everything you are describing is what Dreamer did. I have a mare that has an occasional stifle lock. Never to the extreme you are saying though. If he were mine, I would not trailer him. I would get on the phone and get a vet with a portable xray machine. Stifle injuries are not painful, so the experts say. But an injury is. I know all to well how over whelming this can be. Dreamers pain was so great when Art and I were trying to get her in the barn, she, and I swear to you, she literally passed out and hit the ground head first! Her eyes rolled back in her head. We thought she was dead! After 3 or 4 minutes she came to, scared and in shock. I do wish you would try to get a vet to come out. As a last resort,trailer him or pick him up and put him in a mini van so he can lay down if he cant stand. Dreamer was very sedated when we took her to surgery, and I rode in the trailer with her to "try" and keep her up. I could not keep her up. I helped her lay down on her good side and she rode well the next 1 1/2 hrs to the hospital. I will pray for your boy..You might also want to ask your vet about giving him some plain yoguart for his stomach if you are giving him bantamine or other pain meds....I agree on getting this seen asap. The faster you can get help for him, the faster you can stop the damage..

 

[islandminis]

What is very confusing to me is that he does not seem to be in any pain - He is not sweaty any more, has not been since the initial couple of hours. He eats fine, drinks fine, his head is up, ears forward, curious to see what I am bringing when I come to him, eyes clear.

 

[Eagle]

I also have a mare that suffers from a locking stifle if she is stabled and it causes her no apparent pain as she walks out of the stable with a stiff leg and she will even trot to catch up with the others causing it to click back in place. I would think that this is something more serious and I personally would not try to move him. Not only the journey is dangerous but also loading and unloading could cause serious pain and further damage. I would insist that the vet comes to you today as he has already been like this for 2 days with no improvement. This is very stressing for him as horses are flight animals and need to be free to move. As Rockin R has said I would give him some probiotics.

I am sending prayers that he can be treated fast.

 

[shelia]

What is very confusing to me is that he does not seem to be in any pain - He is not sweaty any more, has not been since the initial couple of hours. He eats fine, drinks fine, his head is up, ears forward, curious to see what I am bringing when I come to him, eyes clear.

What ever happened to him did hurt a lot. It may be less painful now, but horses hide pain very well. have you felt around on him to see if he is sore anywhere? Do you feel any swelling or warm spots? has he improved at all? If he has fractured a bone he could get an infection even if it starts to heal. If something is out it may need to be put back in place or he won't survive. How does he react to you touching the sore leg? The longer you wait the less chance he will have for a full recovery.

 

[JAX]

I would think that if he wasnt in pain then he would be walking around more. I think he is not moving because that is when he feels the pain. Even foundered horses tend to move somewhat and that is extremely painful for them. Ugh the idea of moving him to the trailer, loading him up and then the trailer ride has ME getting ulcers!!! However he ends up riding in the trailer i would definately have someone with a cell phone (ready to call the driver) back there with him just in case...

 

[islandminis]

I have a friend help me do a check over of him - she has minis, one of them had a locked stifle at one time - I am wrangling with the vet about coming - he's busy and it means a whole day for him - I am also looking for a vet with the time to come right away ( am so not stuck on this vet) Any way--- he does have a locked stifle in the right leg, cannot bend for love nor money - he can put weight on it now, just seems not to want to. He is such a wonderful boy, I really want to get him help. Off to the phone book - more vet numbers!!! (oh my friends minis need thier shots soon so at least i can split the cost of the vet with her!)

 

[Minimor]

So--on the leg you say is locked--is he actually standing on the foot, with the foot flat on the ground, or is it trailing out behind him?

 

[islandminis]

I know -- with it locked it should that he can't put it down - But I have called the local mini rescue place since they see all kinds of mini problems -- they suggested that it may be a lateral locked patella ( I know - very serious) It is deffinately not bending, totally locked up, but he does have his foot down on the ground, although he is not putting weight on it.. The more I find out the crazier this gets! No luck with vets,hoping for word tonight from one last one. If no then I will just have to figure out how to stableise him and get him in there. Can't leave things this way.

 

[Mona]

Yes, we understand that he had his foot on the ground, but what Minimor is asking, is if he has it resting on his "toe" while it is on the ground, or if he is standing in a "normal" position, with the sole completely flat on the ground like the rest of his feet. Photos may be very helpful too!

 

[mydaddysjag]

I would make it a top priority to have a vet out to you, even if you do have to pay for their whole day. While locking stifles is not that uncommon, he has been locked for 5 days now, and that is very unusual. I would bet theres something underlying along with the locked stifle, and you defiantly dont want him standing around with a possible injury getting worse.