New year, new show season! The first show on Feb. 20 was rained out (in sunny So Cal) and moved to March 6. Bandit and I are trying to get ready for the new year and had some issues reappear. Here is what "navicular changes" looks like on it's way to becoming full blown navicular syndrome.
June 3, 2009 - Bandit comes up lame in left front foot for the first time, had the barn's vet do a lameness exam, xrays and injection in coffin joint
June 24, 2009 - Bandit still having problems, took him to a vet that I've used before, he does lameness exam, xray's left foot, recommends 4 months rest, diagnosis was possible lesion causing pain
Nov. 2009 - Bandit was sound after being in a pasture for 5 months where he managed to cut his foot twice in that time (requiring other vet visits), went for a follow up to June vet visit, xrays again, prescribed isoxsuprine, diagnosis was "navicular changes"
Dec. 2009 - I don't remember this one since the trainer took him but he got an injection in the foot/Bursa from same vet. Don't think he was lame, probably just following someone's recommendation.
Sept. 2010 - Bandit was lame again, got a recommendation to go to a new vet for a new procedure - chemical neurectomy using immodium. Had lameness exam, both feet blocked, and injections in both feet. This had the possibility of lasting six months or more, and could be redone when necessary. This seemed to work fine and was the treatment plan for the future. Quit the isoxsuprine since it didn't seem to be helping.
February 2011 - Bandit starting becoming lame after pivoting to the left. He did it once with me, and a couple more times with the trainer. I was surpised to get a recommendation to take him to a new vet for another new treatment - Tildren. He got a lameness exam, xrays, bursa injections in both feet and Tildren injection on left front. The xrays showed severe navicular in the left front (where the dark spots are in the square) and mild in the right. The bursa injections will lubricate the bursa to prevent bone to bone friction. These have to be redone every 6 months to a year. The Tildren takes away the bone pain. He said Bandit has been in pain for awhile. He also said he wished he saw the horse a couple of years ago. Bandit has been in treatment since he first showed symptoms of a problem. It's very odd that all four vets had different ideas on what to do and when. Maybe that's just the nature of navicular problems.
Its hard to believe I have a nine year old show horse (my first one) that wouldn't pass a vet check if I were to ever think about selling him. This is after I spent a bunch of money trying to take care of him and following every recommendation from people more experienced than me. There is a good chance this will work but no one can say for sure if it will or how long it might last. If it doesn't work, Bandit's show career will be over. I don't want to denerve him.
Maybe now that we fixed the pain, we'll have a successful show season. That would be nice since it might be the last one.
