stifel injury

Question
i have a 10 year old Thoroughbred gelding i got off the track when he was about 3, i used him for hunter jumpers and we showed tons in the 2'6 divisions, lst November he came in from the pasture limping and every since hes been lame. i have had many vets look at him and they all tell me something different, what do you suggest as far as treatment? i have him on a biotin supplement also.

Answer
Dear Kellie

I suggest a better vet even if you have to haul him to one of the veterinary teaching universities. You need a diagnosis and waiting almost a year is not a great idea.  Even if I were a vet, I couldn't give you a diagnosis over the internet.  Without a diagnosis, treatment is a problem.  Waiting almost a year for resolution is a very long time.  If this problem was going to resolve on its own, it probably would have by now. Supplements aren't likely to fix something that isn't getting better after 12 months on a relatively young horse. (Ten isn't that old.)

If you had mentioned where you were, I could tell you where the closest teaching hospital is. Depending on where you are located you MIGHT be reasonably close to New Bolton, PA, Cornell, NY, Ft. Collins, CO, Davis, CA, Pullman, WA to name some of the veterinary teaching hospitals around the U.S.

You said all the vets told you something different.  How different? Did they only different in treatment or did you get a different diagnosis from each? I am worried that it is almost October and this happened last November.  From your description is doesn't sound like he has improved.  I would find the best lameness expert I could find (They are often at teaching hospitals) and aggressively pursue diagnosis and treatment if it isn't too late.  The other thing I would do is listen very carefully to what each of the vets did say.  What do they agree on in regard to your horse?

Good luck.

Lynne Curtis Gudes
"Common sense isn't."