Lameness and poor performance

Lameness is one of the most common problems requiring veterinary assessment in horses.

Lameness

The severity and cause of lameness varies greatly and our vets are experienced in investigating many types. Following initial assessment we can discuss the range of management or further diagnostic and treatment options and the costs of these for individual patients and their owners.

We are happy to undertake lameness investigations at your yard, where suitable facilities are available. Sometimes it is easier and safer to perform lameness investigations at the Equine Hospital where we have purpose-built trot up, full-size menage, and hard and soft lunging areas.

For more complex lameness cases, where advanced imaging equipment such as MRI, CT, and scintigraphy is needed to better identify and manage the underlying cause, we work in conjunction with specialists in equine orthopaedics and sports medicine based at the hospital.

A range of elective and emergency orthopaedic surgery and treatment options are also provided by our hospital specialist teams.

Poor performance

Poor performance problems in the horse can be very frustrating for horse owners. They can also be associated with behavioural issues. There can be many underlying causes for this such as lameness, back pain, upper respiratory abnormalities, gastric ulcers, or heart problems. Sometimes there may be more than one underlying problem or one condition may lead to others developing.

The practice team offers a range of options for diagnosis and management of possible causes of poor performance. This may include working in conjunction with specialists based in the hospital where required to provide a holistic, multidisciplinary approach.

Assessment of your horse or pony will initially be carried out on the premises that they are kept on. Further tests that the practice veterinary team may advise include blood tests or imaging including radiography (x-ray), ultrasound, and endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract or stomach (gastroscopy).

In some cases, imaging may require the use of more powerful x-ray and ultrasound equipment based within the equine hospital or advanced imaging such as CT or MRI. State-of-the-art equipment such as overground endoscopy and telemetric ECGs for remote monitoring of cardiac rhythm problems and investigating possible causes of poor performance and collapse adds to our diagnostic capabilities.

Farriery

We work closely with visiting master Farrier Ian Hughes, who provides farriery services for the British Equine Paralympic team, and with locally based farrier Steven Smith. Ian and Steven are on site on Thursdays to provide expert remedial farriery.

We are also happy to work with your horse or pony's usual farrier to treat lameness and laminitis and can use our portable digital x-ray system to provide them with instant images of the foot so they can accurately trim and dress the foot on your yard.