[Tami]

To begin with, your horse is beautiful. After watching the video, the thing that came to my mind was...does this horse have a locked stifle? Sometimes it bothers them like that when it get stuck. Just a thought!

[Dragonfly Farm]

I realize dogs and horses are nothing alike...buy my belgian sheppard displayed very similar attacks and even temporary paralysis once down and it ended up being a sliped disc in her spine. Just some food for thought! Hope it all works out for you! You are lucky to have facilities even 3-4 hours away! Use them if you can!

[Shay's Sunshine]

locked stifle - hmmm that is the first I heard of that.

[MyBelgianAzzy]

My mare had a locked stifle requiring surgery, and personally I don't think that's what's going on with your horse... she never, ever looked like that.

[Ryle]

Some questions for you:
1. Do the episodse happen after working or playing in the pasture?
2. Have you noticed anything in particular that precedes each episode?
3. Does he always go for the same leg?
4. Have you noticed any change in urine color after these attacks?
5. Does it appear that there are muscle spasms in the large muscles during the attacks?
6. Did his diet change prior to the attacks?
7. You said the chiro came out, a DVM chiro? And how was the "multiple problems" diagnosis reached?


This doesn't at all have the appearance of a locking stifle. And without a really good exam--lameness and neurological plus working on a lunge line during the exam--it's going to be hard to get a diagnosis because there are several things that could look like that so you have to work at pinpointing which one it is. The way that the leg seems to knuckle over right before the attacks makes me think that it could be neurological in nature (yes, pain can be caused by a neurological problem as signals are not transmitting properly).

I would really recommend that you go to the vet school and let them work him up.

[Shay's Sunshine]

Originally Posted by Ryle

Some questions for you:
1. Do the episodse happen after working or playing in the pasture?
2. Have you noticed anything in particular that precedes each episode?
3. Does he always go for the same leg?
4. Have you noticed any change in urine color after these attacks?
5. Does it appear that there are muscle spasms in the large muscles during the attacks?
6. Did his diet change prior to the attacks?
7. You said the chiro came out, a DVM chiro? And how was the "multiple problems" diagnosis reached?

1. We are keeping him in a small corral for safety - I was told movement was a good thing - if you saw him walk you probably wouldn't know anything was wrong
2. NO! That is the frustrating part - can't seem to find a "trigger" - although when I would rinse his leg with cold water - that would do it
3. Yes, same leg, nips cornary band, middle of cannon bone & hip area, and now sometimes under his belly
4. No, that was one of the first things I checked
5. Hmmm that is a hard one. He does seem to shake all over but not sure if that is from the pain and his bending in half
6. No diet change
7. good questioned - He pushed and prodded, manipulated and did something with his fingers - He came highly recommended, works on some famous race horses etc.

[Ryle]

Originally Posted by Shay's Sunshine

1.
7. good questioned - He pushed and prodded, manipulated and did something with his fingers - He came highly recommended, works on some famous race horses etc.

This is far from a good diagnostic exam and workup. You really should look at getting a thorough exam on him at the vet school.

Good luck!

[Shay's Sunshine]

O.K. got an interesting guess today - "Leaky Gut Syndrome". I started another thread asking if anyone has heard of this.

Got an appointment at vet school for Wednesday. I am a little apprehensive just because of my dealings with vets so far. I just have had a lot of feelings of "will do a bunch of "stuff" but not in a rush to find out real problem" from vets. I am fighting myself between putting him through MORE stuff and wanting to get his problem resolved.

Interestingly enough that if his problem is this leaky gut syndrome - guess what makes it worse??? Yep you guessed it...antibiotics, Bute, steroids...just what we have been pumping him with. This is so depressing.

Pray for discerning abilities for me this week!

[mslwpk]

I sure hope you find out what it is and that it is treatable. He sure is a pretty horse.

[3WishesDun]

Most of the time when you hear hoof beats outside your window...it's a herd of horses.... not zebras..... I would get your horse to a good veterinarian and have a full work-up before I started considering the remote possibilities. Best wishes!