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| Dusty is not speaking to me right now so I had to use this older photo of her |
Yesterday Dusty walked out
lame again in the morning. Lucky for her, our vet was scheduled for
a visit to administer the remaining vaccinations. She came out of the catch pen
sound and jogged ok. That figures. But standing on the crossties
while getting the x-ray equipment set up, she developed a slight pulse in her
right front. It seems walking in the paddock reduced her lameness and the pulse
in her foot, but standing exacerbated it again. Hmm...
Dusty has had laminitis in
both front hooves and has foundered also. I’m always
apprehensive each Spring waiting to see if she’ll have a
reoccurrence of either condition. Our vet took an x-ray of her
hoof/foot and found some astounding results. Originally, her coffin
bone rotation was 6 degrees for one foot and 9 degrees for the other.
Well, her x-rays showed that she is almost totally back to normal.
Apparently, our farrier is a genius/miracle worker. Thank you Tyler!
I’ve read a lot about
coffin bones and my understanding has been that once you have a rotation of the
coffin bone it may not get worse but it's usually difficult to get much
improvement afterward. I’m not educated in many things concerning the
hoof just the basics of anatomy. So I may have interpreted things incorrectly.
I didn’t have much hope that her coffin bone would ever return to its original
position. Glad I was wrong.
The vet thought that, along
with the potential for a slight flare-up of laminitis due to the spring grass
coming up, perhaps since her toe was a little overgrown it could be
contributing to her lameness. Our farrier is due today to shoe her and a
few of the others. Just to be safe, she's back on a bit of bute for a few
days, some isoxsuprine for a month, and a grazing muzzle (sorry Dusty!)
for the rest of the year. So hopefully by the weekend her lameness will be a
thing of the past. She’s not very happy with us right now about the
muzzle, but better safe than sorry. So she can be as annoyed at me as she
likes but as my mother used to say “it’s for your own good!” (I always
hated when she said that, by the way, even if she was right.)
Until next time
Quote for Today
Our perfect companions never have fewer than four
feet.
we're so lucky to have such a great farrier. they're so hard to find. and dusty is a lucky girl, even if she doesn't feel like it right now with that medieval device on her face :-/ at least she can still walk!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy we found our farrier he's the best.
DeleteIt IS for your own good Dusty!
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that coffin bone placement can be rehabbed with correct trimming and management practices. It is really amazing that hers have just about returned to normal. That is seriously worth celebrating!
I'm definitely doing the happy dance after her x-rays.
DeleteGHM, Misty, my older broodmare (retired), has issues with navicular symptoms in both fronts, and is one isoxsuprine, too, but pretty much permanently. Is it a drug that can be used symptomatically for short periods?
ReplyDeleteI really don't know about the duration of using the isoxsuprine for navicular symptoms vs. laminitis. We only need to use it for a month this time. Maybe your vet could give you some answers about whether she can come off it occasionally?
DeleteGreat news about Dusty's de-rotation! Perhaps she just needs to bling-up her headgear a little bit?!
ReplyDeleteYou know I didn't think of a little bling for the muzzle. Hmm...
DeleteI also did not know the coffin bone could return to its original position--you are doing the happy dance for sure. Kudos to your healer farrier as well as to your astute observations that keeps Dusty safe and SOUND.
ReplyDeleteThanks D.J. We're doing our best to keep her healthy and happy. Well, except for the muzzle she's happy...
DeleteGlad the rotation is corrected! And I hope the muzzle works for her and keeps things where they are.
ReplyDeleteBillie,
DeleteFingers crossed there will be no drama this Spring.
Amazing, I didn't think the coffin bone rotation could be undone - hang on to that farrier with all you"ve got!
ReplyDeletePoor Dusty. Bet she gives you the stinkeye every time you appear.
Dusty is the master of the "stinkeye"but I try not to let it bother me anymore.
DeleteSo happy Dusty is sound and the coffin bone is back in place. As you know, we nearly lost Royal over laminitis/founder with rotation in both front and laminitis in one rear hoof. Like you, we had a miracle worker farrier who still keeps him in fine shape. Happy to say, Royal's x-rays showed a complete return of the coffin bone to original position. He's as sound as a "horse", now. However, he will always remain on a strict diet and supporting supplements. So many cheers for beautiful Dusty and so very happy for his "mom"!
ReplyDeleteI remember Royal's trouble with laminitis/founder. So glad he came out of it okay and has returned to being sound as a "horse".
DeleteApologize to Dusty for me. I said "he" and I clearly knew that Dusty was a beautiful "SHE"! And I am overjoyed for "her" mom!
DeleteOh, that's okay she doesn't mind. Being the only mare in a herd of geldings she's very tough and quite a tomboy.
DeleteWell, she may not like it but the alternative would be much worse. We had to deal with a horse with laminitis for years and it was a drag. Hope she stays alright.
ReplyDeleteI think she'll be okay we just have to be vigilant. It seems she's a sort of resilient horse. Hope I didn't just jinx myself though.
DeletePoor Dusty but happy news about her rotation recovery! Nature and farriers are amazing! Sounds like you caught it all in time! Hooray!
ReplyDeleteThanks Juliette, it is good news about her rotation and we love our farrier. So glad we were lucky enough to find him.
DeleteTHAT is Some Of The Best News!
ReplyDeleteGreat Work, And a Total Blessing Of A Farrier!
Its So Nice To Have The Peace Of Mind, Being In Control Of Your Own Horses Well Being.
Boarding, I'm At A Loss....One Of Our Boarders Just Had The Scare Of Her Life...Our PBO had Been Putting Her Laminitic Horse Out To Grass Least Few Weeks.....Oh!!!! She Apparently Forgot That Her Boarder ASKED SPECIFICALLY FOR DRY LOT! Didn't Remember Her Asking Either!
Well, Dusty Won't Get That....Not With That Cool Muzzle(Voting For Bling Application) You'll Just Have To Ignore Those "Hairy Eyeball" Looks!
It is nice to have the option to take care of our horses and not have to rely on other people. In the past it would drive me crazy when my requests were ignored and they did whatever was easiest for them. I hope your friend's horse is okay. Hope you're feeling better too and are able to take Wa mare out for a ride soon.
DeleteWowser! God bless the good farrier. I love my guy and apparently your farrier is as worthy of praise. It's not often a horseman can say that.
ReplyDeleteHope Dusty responds to the new regimen without losing too much of her new found, charming personality. What you need now is some physical soundness to match her mental soundness.
I agree really talented farriers are hard to find. I've had some good ones but this guy is the absolute best.
ReplyDeleteLike the others, I also didn't know that rotation of the coffin bone could revert itself. That is wonderful news!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea whether my farrier is good or not. I THINK she is. But if I had that kind of knowledge, I'd be doing them myself! I always feel at the mercy of my farriers.
I'm pretty much at the mercy of my farriers too. I don't know all that much about shoeing either. Most of ours are barefoot but some need corrective shoeing. I'm glad we found a knowledgable farrier.
DeleteI didn't know the coffin bone could correct either - what great news!
ReplyDelete- The Equestrian Vagabond
Hi Merri,
DeleteIt is good news. I'm very happy right now.
Yay! for positive news. :)
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had any grass growth here for a few years, due to our drought. So grazing muzzles aren't necessary, thank goodness! I don't think my Apache mare would forgive me if I made her wear one. lol!
~Lisa
Hi Lisa,
DeleteDusty is still pretty annoyed at me but it's for her own good.
Such great news! I hope the light grazing and new shoes continue to keep her well. She is such a pretty girl, stink eye and all.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary. She's doing very well now and got new shoes yesterday so she is feeling better already.
DeleteIt is my understanding that coffin bone placement can be rehabbed with correct trimming and management practices. It is really amazing that hers have just about returned to normal. That is seriously worth celebrating!
ReplyDeletepulse can be recognized by feeling the pulse reading on the third finger which we attach to the top of the wrist.
Bless the talented farriers - they are worth more than we can ever pay them! I hope that Dusty is continuing to heal. At least she has a petite grazing muzzle instead of those clunky old buckets. We never re-seeded our pasture last year, so the girls have slim pickings. I was going to put down some more grass seed, but I'm thinking maybe not.
ReplyDeleteHi Victoria,
DeleteDusty seems to be doing very well. She's still annoyed about wearing her muzzle though. At night she's the first one to the gate to come in so she can get to her hay with an unobstructed mouth.
That is impressive! Very good news. I do feel for her with a grazing muzzle but needs must Dusty. At least you get out that way.
ReplyDeleteShe's not loving the muzzle at all and is the first one to the gate at night.
ReplyDelete