Friday, May 31, 2013

Cuna Update

Well, we're back from the vet. Cuna has been off the bute all week so that it couldn't mask anything when he went in to see the vet. I know it had to happen, but he was completely miserable and unable to get comfortable. I barely slept and he's lost weight. Wish I lost weight--the stress diet (ALL THE CARBS) probably isn't helping anything.

Yesterday morning, I enlisted our longtime photographer Ellie to come to the vet with me for moral support. We hooked up the trailer and I pulled it to the front of his stall. He hobbled in because he is a really, really good boy, but he could barely walk. Once in, he actually protested a little that he was going to have to go alone, but he didn't feel good enough to keep it up.

Once we arrived and checked in, I backed him off the trailer and just waited. He didn't want to move and I didn't want to make him. Our farrier came over and said hello, then the vet came by.

I'm used to watching lameness exams--the vet tech jogs the horse out on a straight line, then does circles either way. If it's subtle, they then to flexions and move on to blocking to find more specific information.

Not so with Cuna. The vet talked to us a little. The tech took his lead rope, and could barely get him to walk. We moved on to taking his digital pulse (rapid) and checking his feet (hot). Poor Cuna did everything he could do to keep movement to a minimum. He rested his front feet as much as possible and did anything to avoid putting weight on his right front especially. Next step was xrays. 

Thankfully, Cuna is still the best horse ever and he was led into radiology with no drama. He stood perfectly still and they get excellent pictures. We discovered that he has excellent sole depth and his coffin bones had zero rotation, which mostly rules out a navicular/laminitis scenario.

The vet asked my farrier a series of questions about his shoeing, as far as what he's working on correcting and how Cuna has responded. They pulled in another senior, well-respected farrier and consulted over hoof testers. Cuna was as good as he could be, but he was shaking.

They stated by pulled his shoes. Cuna fidgeted constantly, unable to stand in a way that didn't hurt. After many careful fittings and lots of input from both farriers and the vet, my farrier went to work. He had to do Cuna's right front first, because he wasn't able to hold weight on it for more than a few seconds at a time.

Cuna visibly relaxed after the new shoe was on. He was able to stand on his right front and allow our farrier to work on his left. He started licking and chewing when the second shoe went on.

Interested in the world
As our farrier got ready to add the finishing touches, I took the first picture of Cuna that I've taken in a week. He's been so miserable that all I could think was, "I don't want to remember him this way." Finally, his demeanor changed.















Check it out
It's not the end of the road, not yet. After they put his new shoes on, the vet came and walked him up and down the aisle and did shallow serpentine loops. Cuna was still hobbling, but the vet pronounced him, "Better than I thought he would be". When I asked why he thought that, he explained that Cuna's got a lot of heat and inflammation in the soft tissue in his feet right now. His soles are tender from having pads on. He's going to take time to recover, but he's walking more freely and able to make tight turns now.

He's also weighting both front feet, which is a huge step forward.

So much perkier
After some final touches, Cuna was ready to go home. He was already beginning to express himself again. He was sick of me hanging all over him and it was lunch time.
















Team Cuna at work, minus me and the vet
He isn't sound, but he looks significantly better. I was really glad Ellie was able to make time for us. Because she was there to help and stay with Cuna, I was able to follow the vet and farrier around and ask lots of questions. I feel like I have a better understanding of what we did and why and I'll be more able to monitor him through the recovery process.






Mischief face is on
Due to the timing of the barn remodel at our trainer's place, Cuna is spending the next two weeks recovering at a friend's place in a lovely giant stall with huge pastures that he may or may not be able to use (we have to keep him SUPER DRY so his feet can toughen up). Regardless, the old man is much happier and I hope to see continued improvement in the weeks to come.

38 comments:

  1. What great news. I'm so happy to hear you could find him some relief.I hope everything improves incrementally over the next few weeks for you guys.

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  2. So glad to hear he's improved! Did the vet give any info on why he thought this had happened?

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  3. Yah! I'm so glad you got a solution. I'm wishing Cuna a speedy recovery!

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  4. Oh I am so glad to see an update. I will admit to Facebook stalking you to make sure nothing terrible had happened to the big red guy. Keep us posted on recovery!

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  5. Your vet and farrier worked together???? Madness!
    I'm curious what the diagnosis is, as I am dealing with a lame horse myself without a real clear diagnosis.

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  6. Thank goodness it wasnt navic or laminitis. Glad to hear things are looking up!

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  7. glad he's at least a little better. Hope you get a final diagnosis soon.

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  8. Hooray Cuna! I hope he is back to his old self quickly. :)

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  9. Good to hear that he's more comfortable!

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  10. Yay Cuna!!! So happy for good news!!!

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  11. Whew! Such good news for you both. It's amazing how much hangs in the balance over as small an area such as the hooves.

    I have pictures of a mare I once owned from when I first got her and she was looking like a wreck. As I snapped them I could almost hear her ask me "WHY? Why are you taking pictures of me looking like THIS?" as she looked back at me with the camera. I don't blame you for not taking pictures of Cuna when he was not his best. It can be humiliating for the horse and not helping to their mental state in the recovery.

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  12. I'll admit to facebook stalking you for Cuna updates, too. Soo glad he got some relief and he's headed in the right direction!

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  13. Wait, so - is the problem caused by the shoeing?

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  14. Wow what a relief, I am so glad he's feeling better. So all that was caused from him being in pads?? Insane.

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    1. Yes and no. He was already off/lame. The pads contributed to his (apparently) sensitive soles and made everything worse, but that isn't what caused the initial issue. :-/ It is possible that the latest round of $$$ shoes will smooth things over and help the first issue. We'll see how it goes.

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  15. Wow I hope the new shoes help. I got scared when you said he had a strong digital pulse, hot feet and would barely walk since our boy was diagnosed with Laminitis from those symptoms. So glad he does not have that. We got him an experimental drug to help block inflamation in his feet. So far so good. Fingers crossed for Cuna.

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  16. Whew!! Glad Skip was in on the consult -- he's the best around. What's the prognosis for the swelling and tenderness to go down?

    Yay for Cuna!

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    1. 1-2 weeks, optimistically. Hoping for the best here.

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  17. I'm so happy to read this. Glad he's doing better!

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  18. So happy to hear that Cuna is doing better already! Now that he is more comfortable, I bet he will enjoy his stay-cation at your friends place :)

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  19. I'm so glad to hear that Cuna is starting to feel better!

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  20. Glad he's out of the woods! A two week vacay recovery sounds perfect.

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  21. I would totally invest in some Magic Cushion, Durasole, Keratex Hoof Gel (protects hooves from moisture--Salem's feet would probably dissolve during monoon season without it!), and maybe even some hoof boots (Soft Rides would definitely make him way more comfortable). So glad that it's something totally fixable and the old man should be back to his old self soon!

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    1. I have a concoction from the vet, but I may look into the Keratex when it runs out. ;) You give it such glowing reviews.

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  22. I'm glad to see this. I just had a similar scare this past week with my horse. I'm glad it's not navicular or laminitis. Now he just needs time to mend. Poor Cuna

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  23. Wow those front shoes!! So glad he's feeling better. It is so hard to see your horse suffer.

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  24. Glad he seems to be on the road to recovery. I hope he feels even better every day from here on in!

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  25. Not to totally freak you out, but horses can have laminitis without having any radiographic signs of it if it's acute enough (this was the case with Prince when he got laminitis a few years ago).

    It sounds like the shoes are really helping, so it's great you were able to give him some relief. Poor guy. I hope he continues to improve and that you hang in there too... I've been there before and it is so scary and stressful.

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    1. I didn't know this. I will keep it in mind.

      That said, he's maintained a pretty solid heel-first landing throughout the process--consistently doing anything to avoid weighting the front of his feet and soles. Thanks for the heads up!

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    2. Yep, no problem. I got scared when I was first reading your description of Cuna because he sounded very similar to Prince- bounding digital pulses, trembling when asked to stand on one foot, unwilling to walk etc. I'm glad to hear it's not laminitis, talk about a scary disease for a horse owner to have their horse diagnosed with!

      Also by the way (I'm not picking on you, I swear), horses with laminitis usually are most painful in their toe and sole so they will try to keep their weight on their heels as much as possible. When Prince had laminitis he would stand with his feet out in front of him to take the pressure off his toe.


      Sending more healing vibes Kuna's way!

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    3. I appreciate all the info I can get. I'm horrible with hoof ailments, so pick away. Why was I thinking painful heels was laminitis? I'll do more research and try to sound less ignorant in the future. Thanks!

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    4. I think you are thinking navicular with the painful heels thing.

      But no worries, being willing to learn is the most important thing. =-)

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  26. Thanks for the update. I am relieved to hear his spirits are up. Hears to keep going in that direction.

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  27. I'm happy to hear that there's already improvement. Good for you!

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  28. Awwwwe, I'm so sorry I missed Cuna being off what with being out of town!!! Poor guy -- but it sounds like you have a great team to work with him and that is priceless. I am sure he will be feeling better soon. Did they recommend packing his feet in ice to help bring the inflammation down? I've used the successfully before. Rest well, cunafish!

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