Your Horses Lameness

By: Dr. Gina Tranquillo

You get to the barn and pull your horse out of the field. Everything looks good but he is lame. “Oh no” you think! Now what do I do? Here are some tips about information to gain prior to calling your veterinarian to request an evaluation.

• Which leg is lame?
• Do you notice any wounds?
• Pick all four feet. Are there any sharp stones? Any foreign bodies in the foot like a nail?
• Examine each foot carefully and look at the coronet band. Do you notice any moisture or sites where an abscess could have started to rupture out? If so if you apply soft pressure is the horse painful on it?
• Look and feel all the legs. Do you feel swelling, heat or sensitivity? If you feel swelling, when you apply soft pressure does the horse act painful?
• How is the horse’s attitude? Is it bright and alert, or dull and depressed?
• Does the horse have a fever? Take the temperature with a regular human thermometer that you can purchase at your local pharmacy. It is always good to keep two of them on hand, in case one breaks. Please take the temperature and have it ready to report to the vet. A fever is usually over 101.5F

Your vet will assess the information you provide over the phone to determine if any treatment should begin. Otherwise, a veterinary consultation should be made so recommendations can be made.

What constitute emergencies of the leg where a prompt call should be made to the veterinarian?

• Any wounds that are significant in size or depth
• Any wounds near a synovial structure
• Any non-weight bearing lameness
• Fevers associated with lameness
• Heat, swelling, discharge from the skin associated with lameness
• A depressed or dull attitude with lameness
• A horse that is down and unwilling to rise due to lameness

All Points Equine is here to serve you and your horse’s lameness troubles. Let us take the guess work out of it for you and help you back in the saddle again!

Call for an appointment at 610-351-1404