During any stage of a horse's life, it's possible for him or her to develop lameness. Usually, lameness occurs from strain, injury, or stress. It's vital to seek out the care of a skilled veterinarian like Dr. Lauri McGaughran for a lameness examination if you notice decreased athletic performance, limping, or behavioral issues.
Gathering Information About Your Horse's Medical History and Lifestyle
Information about your horse's medical history and lifestyle can help our vet accurately diagnose the cause of the lameness. The staff at Woods End Equine Veterinary Services will ask you questions specifically related to lameness, such as when it first began.
We'll acquire information about your horse's age, breed and work. Horses are more likely to develop certain issues as they age while some breeds are more prone to certain problems. During this part of the lameness examination, Dr. McGaughran will ask about your horse's training regimen and any information about riding. We'll also ask you for information about when your horse was last shod.
About the Physical Examination
The second part of your horse's lameness examination consists of a physical examination. Dr. McGaughran will assess your horse at rest to check his or her balance and ability to bear weight. Dr. McGaughran will look/palpate for any obvious signs of an injury or stress at this point as well. The physical exam may also include watching your horse move in each gait. By analyzing your horse in motion in a straight line, on the lunge line, and or under saddle. our practitioner can look for signs of a problem, such as gait deviations, short strides, unusual weight shifting, stiffness, etc.
Dr. McGaughran will also perform a hands-on exam by checking your horse's tendons, muscles, bones, and joints for any evidence of swelling, pain, or other abnormalities. A joint flexion test consists of our veterinarian holding your horse's limb and bending it. When your horse moves afterward, our vet evaluates his movement for irregularities and signs of pain.
At the appointment, our practitioner may use a hoof tester, which is a device that applies pressure to the bottom of your horse's hooves. It evaluates the soles/heel for sensitivity and pain.
Imaging and Further Diagnostics
Sometimes, the physical examination and medical history portion of the appointment is enough to diagnose the problem. However, it's possible our vet will want to conduct further testing.
Nerve and joint blocks are one possible diagnostic. Dr. McGaughran performs this procedure by temporarily stopping sensation to different areas until your horse's lameness subsides. Ultimately, this helps Dr. McGaughran determine where the problem is as well as if it's treatable.
