xray comparison and hoof pictures

Ok, so here's the update and comparison.

I'm happy to report there was some good news and things to continue to work towards BUT..overall I'm so happy!

So, I asked my Vet and he approved that it was OK to take pictures of my xrays.  

Xrays were from Feb 2010 and from now, June 2011.
Very cool...now I can stare at them and learn more instead of trying to memorize every detail in a few minutes.

My vet and I actually had a great meeting for about an hour. He was very patient and answered all of my questions and even had some questions for me.  He is interested in joining Cliff and I when we meet with Dr. Bowker to learn anything new. Cool with me.

So, let's getting started with the black and whites;

Our two recent shots front front of hoof and with hoof on toe tip

both are of Right Rear where he had most damage

 Xrays below show, from left to right:

Two images on far left were taken in Feb 2010...these were the last images I had seen before finding Cliff.

As you can see the rotation is pretty severe.

Coffin bone pointing down toward sole

Middle image shows the bilateral rotation, not only did he sink down, but he rotated inwards as shown by the two dots and how they are off plane from each other.

The far right image is from Monday (June 2011)-Much improvement.

Heels taken down and toe cut back.
Less of an angle of rotation ...still rotated but it's getting better

 Below:

Up close of Feb 2010 bi lateral rotation

 Below:

Up close of June 2011 bi lateral roation and HOW MUCH improved it is!!

Yeah, go Cliff :)

To the right is the June 2011 image of hoof on toe tip to capture the bone density of coffin bone

 This is an upclose of above image as well.

The dark lines show active blood vessels which as we know in healing, is a good thing. 

It seems that keeping Laz moving 24/7 has proved to be a good thing.

There is also some definite damage but Vet said nothing overly concerned and no bone disease/infection which was something I was getting worried about.

The dark section in middle is where the damage is, almost looking like a deer toe if you will but not to that extreme.

 Up close of June 2011 xray showing less rotation. It's hard to tell on this image but you can see at the coffine bone tip, a tiny slipper flare.  That is feeding towards his seedy toe which may be where we see some gas bubbles, where possible abscess could be.  The xrays did not give us a definite YES on abscess but we think it's most likely one. Vet also thought about 3/16" from bottom, in his sole, there may be some gas bubbles too.  He assured me too, as Cliff does, that coffin bone will not be rotating out of his sole (phew!).  With the hobbling that Laz was doing, I was beginning to worry he rotated further but it seems he hasn't. With these xrays, it's a shot in time.  So what I don't know, was if he was better last month and coffin bone has moved since then? But...I can't worry about that too much.  I may opt to take another round of xrays in a few months to compare to see progress (hopeful). 

Now for some Hoof pictures.

Right Front, nice chip in it...grrr, his club foot.

 Left Front-my favorite foot ;)

 Right Front

 Fronts

 Fronts

 Right Front...concerned about the constant white line seperation but I may start treating that with either Clean Trax or White Lightning.

 Right Front

 Right Front

 Rear hooves

 Right Rear, the celebrity in the xrays

 Behind the rear hooves

Hi Mason!

 Rear, taken from Left side

 Right Rear

 You can really see lack of hoof wall (just crumbles, Cliff doesn't trim off hoof wall or false sole until Laz is ready to release it-which he's not right now)

 Right rear on toe tip, cocked forward.

**Last trim was June 10th, next is July 7th

My fashionable boot, made out of Ichthammol drawing salve, saran wrap, vet wrap and duct tape.

Stock in duct tape, I think yes!

And so we still wait and I hope that he starts feeling better soon.

If within a couple of weeks, he doesn't improve-I'll have to cross that bridge with options then.

*Update to Fried

Poor Laz continues to struggle.

Whether it's an abscess or something else going on, I don't yet know.

We took xrays last evening, so the review will happen soon. 

From there, what I would like to do (and am working on) is have Dr. Bowker from MSU, come to the barn and see/meet Laz, review the xrays and meet with me and Cliff to make sure we are on the right path. 

Assess diet plans and lifestyle set up for Laz for continued success.
We were on such a great path, and I feel so de-railed.

Laz has been showing signs of something off for about a month now.

My vet did say abscess can take a very long time...I just hope it is an abscess at this point.

In the meantime, I've got such great information from this website

Something that still haunts me, is that I had Laz on Equioxx for months back in 09/2010.  

Dr. Kellon, whom I've also been in touch with about Laz's case, clearly states she feels it's a mask and horses shouldn't be on it for more than 3-5 days.

I can't rewind the clock, but I can continue to learn and hopefully make better choices for Laz and not always assume certain things are OK for treatment.

More updates to come...

I'm staying positive because it's what I've got plenty of, for my sweet brown boy.

Fried

My brain feels fried....yet encouraged too.

I've been doing so much research lately on laminitis/abscess/diet that I feel I have a lot of new information and information I don't know what to do with...quiet yet.

So, I've decided a few things.

I'm concerned with Laz's feet...duh.
I am seeing signs of that his diet just isn't quite right. 

Why he is still retaining false sole on his right rear that isn't willing to let go?

Why all four of his hooves still have white line separation

These may be signs of diet, may be signs of trimming adjustments, etc

I am getting xrays done to his RH on Monday. 

I.am.NERVOUS.

Why?

The last time I had xrays done I was basically told that nothing more can/should/could be done for my horse.

Obviously we proved that wrong, but it's been a very steep, slippery slope and not one I chose to be boastful about. 

I am very thankful for the every SINGLE day that I have Laz.  

Do I think I have all the answers?

Um, certainly not. 

However, I think I have a strong drive and a clue about what could be done to improve his life and I think it needs to start with another diet reevaluation.
I'm not sure grazing is in the cards for him, with or without a muzzle.
I had a very reputable nationally known vet on the NO Laminitis team, email me today confirming that grazing may not prove good for him.
So, poor Laz is off again. Sorry buddy...muzzle is oh, 3 days old. Jeez.

Seems that I may have 'thought' that he was OK on pasture last summer...but the fact that he still retained false sole may be a "HELLOOOO" it wasn't ok.  White line seperation is another indicator she mentioned.

I would like the xrays to now compare where we were, to where we are.

To see if there is indeed an abscess

To see how/if we need to alter trimming.

Maybe ignorance is bliss, but I'm hoping knowledge is going to arm me with more power...and options.
So...until Monday.

A whole lot of nothing...

So, reading my blog lately is as exciting as watching paint dry.

Or staring at a leg in a bucket...

Ugh.

What happened to cause this abscess....I will find out.

In the meantime...it's still not surfaced, blowed (that's not a word!), popped, whatever you want to call it.

Poor Laz. He's moving 'ok' out in paddock, but when I halter him and walk him in, boy do the dramatics come out. 

"MOM!!! In case you forget again...NO RIDES ME!!! I hurts." 

As he gimps like the oldest man alive.

Yes, Laz...I know. I'm trying to help you. No riding, nothing. Promise.

"Ok..(sigh)...Ah K"

This has been the extent of our life for the past 6 days;

Walk him into wash rack.

Clean all four feet, do minimal grooming if need be

Start with soak.

15-20 minutes

Epsom and Betadin, hot(ish) water.

A little encouraging that he swaps legs to rest onto bad while in bucket.

Massage, massage. Rubbing his hind, his back. Using my Masterson learned techniques (boy he loves that stuff).  He goes into his big sighs, blowing his nose out, eyes flipping, licking. 

At least he's comfortable during this discomfort.

Did I just say that? You know what I mean....

Apply lineament to aching (assuming) muscles

 
Clean/dry hoof.

Use my potting skills to make a potter's bowl full of poultice onto his hoof. 

Saran wrap it like an Xmas gift and put boot on.

**Easy boot now isn't fitting right and kept falling off, so he's currently in Barn owners Cavello which seems to be working out well.

Get molested for carrot nibs in my hoodie pocket

Staring contests with Mason...

Pudgie, ie Yoda, says "Heals all, Time will."

Will it?!

On to more online research...I did find some great websites/groups that I've learned a lot from already.

Here's a couple:

http://www.nolaminitis.org/home

http://www.ironfreehoof.com/
http://www.ecirhorse.com/index.php/laminitis

My gut is, something is/was/is up with his metabolic system.

Why he still has a false sole hanging on after a year and a half that won't shed on that one foot?

Why the abscess?...why now? What triggered it?

I also ordered some MOP to start a liver detox (slowly)

Talk about a doozy of a first horse.

Holy learning experience....good thing he's amazingly sweet/kind/handsome/everything I've wanted.

I love my OTTB

Pulling, pulling, and Rolling

Boy, this darn abscess (still assuming) is annoying.
Annoying because it makes my Pony uncomfortable and because I'm still trying to pull that sucker OUT.

Cliff came out to double check on him Friday evening (so awesome) and did minor sole trimming but wanted to leave what false sole Laz needed.  So probably about 3 tiny pieces came off. He checked all his other feet to make sure no other abscesses were forming/visible/sensitivity for anything else. All 3 others were good.

So, it's up to trying to keep pulling it out.
I am doing Epsom salt soaks.
I tried Animalintex  but that stayed on for ..oh...15 minutes.
Laz is just too rough and is still moving around so I figured spending $7 on the one use poultice, and $2.50 on one whole roll of vet wrap, this wasnt' the product for us.

I did use my barnowner's clay poultice which I loved and I think really helped alleviate some of the pain.
I was able to really pack it into his hoof sole, around the frog and around the hoof, wrapped it in saran wrap and was able to put his Easy Boot back on. It felt great, was cool to the touch and stayed put.
I used my barn owner's liniment to put on his back hind legs which Laz really enjoyed, to help ease any muscle discomfort.
I came back out the following afternoon and hosed it off.

I chose not to repack it on, because I didn't want him to go from Sunday to Tuesday with it on. (I can't get out there on Mondays usually)
So, Tuesday I'll re-poultice and try to pull it out.
I leave for Chicago Friday night, and really don't want to be far away with him still hobbling around.
But I have to go.
Laz is able to maneuver and walk somewhat comfortable with his boot on (although it's a bit stretched and has fallen off a couple times) and be with his herd, eat, walk in his paddock, still gets his hour of pasture.
The only time, he really doesn't put any weight on his RH is when I walk him from wash rack, onto barn cement, and outside.  Once he's on dirt, sand or grass it's more comfortable.
Here is a video, when I turned him back out with "Ponee" after applying his poultice/boot.

Funny little copy cats!
You roll, I roll!

Dear abscess...are you there?!

It's me, Kristen...and I need you to GET OUT 

Laz is acting sore...still.  Not any better. In fact, definitely more lame.

He is sore walking through the barn on concrete.  He won't trot at free lunge and I'm not making him, or obviously riding him. 

Cliff offered to come out again, which I'm taking him up on.

He think it's an abscess, I'm sure he's right...I hope it's just that and not something worse.

Coffin bone fracture, further rotation, .............ugh...

He seems to be doing ok on his hour of pasture (muzzle is on it's way) and I've had some professionals state I should look into doing a liver detox for him being there are signs of liver issues

(I guess laminitis in the rear legs is one, muscle atrophy in back is another, etc)

"LaaaazArooooooooo"

 "Lazzie Boiiii!"

"Hmmpf...it's grazz time duncha noe"

 "I dunt c u"

 "yummmmmm yum yum, no big broun hors heres"

 "I cant c u ifs my eyz is closd"

 "oh oks..one mure bitz"

 "An a drix"

So what to do with a horse that is hurting, not wanting to walk (forget trot) much.

I had him walk about 5 minutes to see if he would 'loosen' up and feel better.
Not really.

So, I decided to use some of my Masterson skills on him

Behold....sleepy pony

 A ha! 

So, after some of our massaging he opted to rest on his hurting leg.

A good sign, being he really gave me a hard time (not recently like him at all) lifting his left rear up to be picked.  

 A couple days ago, when it was HOT as the south, I just bathed him

In these pictures you can see how he's just standing oddly.

He was such a good boy though and stayed ground tied and really enjoyed his scrub down (not so much the sheath cleaning but hey..it had to happen)

 "noe whr are them keyz at"

 His stance..yuck.

It's been gone for so long.  It's back..you see how he looks below.

There is SOMETHING going on in that foot........!

 We'll see what we find tomorrow...I soaked it today in Epsom salts for 20 minutes until Laz crapped right into his foot soaking bucket, foot still in it.

What?!

Yea. 

Sweet boy...bare with me as we figure this out for you.

Give-away WINNER!!

And the winner is.................................................

**sorry for the initial confusion..I couldn't read my own peanut butter piped handwriting!!

Laz says "Cungraadulazionz ..I luv Marez!!"

Good job "MARE"

You won!!! You were lucky #14

Please email me so I can ship promptly to you

Thanks for playing everyone!