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Message |
    
Dawn Hagedorn (Gowest2)
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 4, 2001 - 11:10 pm: |   |
Hi Dr. O,
I read your article on shoulder sweeny. You say sweeny is caused by trauma. Could my problem be something other than sweeny? We purchased a 7 yo team of Belgium horses about 2 1/2 months ago. We did not start using them to pull until about 2 weeks ago. About 3 weeks ago just before getting them shod we noticed one of them "resting" a front foot. We never noticed any lameness before this time and had not even used them yet. We thought maybe a bruise or abcess since they hadn't been shod. This behavior of resting the front foot has been common ever since. We had a shoer use hoof testers, no pain anywhere in the hoof, not abcesses, no swelling in the leg or joints, no heat, no pain when palpating the suspensory, nothing...UNTIL we pressed on the flat top part of the shoulder. This pressure makes him very uncomfortable on the affected side only. You talked of nerve damage and loss of feeling, but the pressure on this area seems to cause pain, it doesn't appear to be loss of feeling or the ability to move the shoulder just a reluctance to stand with weight on that foot and he limps slightly when walking, but is more noticable when turning a corner in the direction of the affected shoulder. There is no evidence whatsoever of any recent trauma to the area, no scars either. Is this sweeny or possibly something else. This horse is only 7 and was owned by one man of about age 70 since he was trained as a two yo. This man said he only used them to pull wagons in parades and for wagon trains. If this was an existing condition when we bought him why didn't we notice it until a couple weeks ago BEFORE we ever started working him? Help please I already have too much money wrapped up in these horses with no return likely if this is untreatable. These horses were to be used in our summer business, so I can't just give him time off, the summer will be over. What do you reccommend? Thanks,
Dawn |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2001 - 7:57 am: | |
The diagnosis of sweeny depends on seeing muscle atrophy over the shoulders. I am unsure of the significance of a horse resting one foot more than the other when there is NO lameness at the trot and am suspicious that there is no significance. But I cannot make that judgement without examing the horse myself. If you are uncertain if there is lameness or some other problem, I would recommend you have the horse examined by a good vet.
DrO |
Dawn Hagedorn (Gowest2)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2001 - 8:36 pm: | |
Thank you Dr. O,
I did state that he limps slightly at a walk, we don't trot him that much, but I made a point to trot him today and his step is a little shorter of the affected side, but not extremely noticable. Is the atrophy supposed to be located on the flat side of the affected shoulder blade? Horses don't normally rest a front foot do they unless there is something wrong right? Can pulling horses get sweeny just because they are pulling horses or does it have to be caused by direct trauma? Since there was no trauma, how do I treat this? By the way 3 grams of bute (1800 lb. horse) doesn't seem to help at all, if it was sweeny would bute normally relieve the symtoms? Any further advice would be much appreciated. Thanks,
Dawn |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jun 6, 2001 - 8:09 am: | |
It is difficult to evaluate lameness, particularly mild lameness at the walk, many sound horses have an uneven walk, so it must be evaluated at the trot. Yes most horses do stand pretty square but some don't, it may be an indication of further evaluation but it is not the basis for a diagnosis of lameness. I don't know if your horse has a problem or not, I just do not see a clear indication of it in the information you have provided.
DrO |
evelyn herndon (Babi)
| | Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2001 - 9:09 pm: | |
Dr.O,
My mare has a severe case of sweeny, from a blunt
trauma happening June 25, 2001. From your article and other discussions, stall rest is the best
treatment. but I was wondering, if any vitamin, joint, muscle building, increased blood and oxygen flow or devil's claw and yucca supplements would help? She was on Bute and dexamethsone for the first week, and Bute alone for six weeks thereafter. Is there a possibility of her good foot and leg breaking down or foundering? It has been cool to touch and pulses are not palpatable.
Her stall has about 4" cedar shavings. Thanks, Evelyn |
Leslie Easter (Leaster)
| | Posted on Monday, Sep 17, 2001 - 1:01 pm: | |
Hi Dr. O.,
Although the progrnosis is good for Sweeny based solely on stall rest, I was wondering whether using infra-red lights on the affected shoulder area would be beneficial. I have seen it really help the healing process in an open wound, but I don't know enough about infra-red lights to know whether they would help this type of condition....
It's not my horse, fortunately, but a very very talented FEI dressage horse.
Thanks for the article, Leslie |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2001 - 6:25 am: | |
We do not know Leslie. One problem I see is careful control of the amount of energy applied to the area.
DrO |
Amber Baxter
New Member
Username: Amberb
Post Number: 1
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, Apr 9, 2006 - 11:15 pm: | |
Dr. O,
Hey I just joined this site today in search of answers for my gelding. He is having the same problems as the Belgian stated above only he is a barrel horse built much like a thoroughbred. Every since I got him the trainer and myself have noticed he is more resistant to the left at a walk, trot, lope ect.. (speaking mainly of circles). And at all of the shows I have taken him to he either rares up or blows off the left barrel (whether you take him right or left first). It started as blowing off, now he rares up and WILL NOT move forward even if you take him back around at a walk, trot, ect..he does the same thing. It is the same barrel every time and the same thing happens. I noticed after he ran he is taking weight off left foot at a walk, trot, ect..putting most of it at his toe and none on the back. He is 5 years old, been trained by a professional barrel racer, and has no feet problems. His hocks have been x-rayed ect, he gets legend and bute when needed but nothing seems to help. He has no heat or swelling just gives when you press above his shoulder by his withers. He did rare up and fall over on his self about 2 weeks ago with a saddle on, but has showed problems like this before then. His teeth have been floated recently and a bit seat put in. But he will not bend and flex to the left, he sort of gets down in his rear and comes up and swings the front end when asked to put weight on the front left and flex. Do you have any suggestions for me. I am running out of answers for my horse. He is very valuable and EXTREMELY fast and I really hate to see he's in some kind of pain. P.S. All of the other turns on the other barrels are great!!!(It's his one left turn) and he is alot rougher loping to the left than the right and has no obvious pulses in his leg and his feet have been tested for abcesses ect.., my saddle and pad have been checked also if any of this helps. I am getting him vet checked I was just wondering exactly what areas you would focus on.
Thanks so much for any of ya'lls time or responses!
Amber}} |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15318
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - 8:11 am: | |
Hello Amber,
Certainly the first focus is on whether the horse is lame or not and from your description I am uncertain. For more on how this is determined and how to pick a lame leg, see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Localizing Lameness in the Horse.
DrO |
Cory Stark
New Member
Username: clamity
Post Number: 1
Registered: 4-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008 - 1:07 am: | |
Hello,
I have 24 month old perch/cross who has a pretty severe case, from what my vet has said of sweeny shoulder. I am just getting started with this trauma and not real sure what to do. Some say he needs to be put down with his age and growth yet and others say there is a chance. Are there any new opinions that could be offered as I struggle with decisions on his future? Injury was present on Thursday morning 04/24/08. He is in stall only right now on Bute for pain management and topical for inflammation. I just joined this site tonight after searching google for information. Im glad I found it. I would love to hear opinions and advise. Best wishes. Cory |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 20556
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008 - 6:38 am: | |
Hello Cory,
Since you post at the bottom of someone else's discussion and your concerns are well addressed in the article I wonder if you have read the article Cory? This is the best place to get your questions answered.
To access it select » Shoulder Sweeny » off the navigation bar at the top of the page. It will describe the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. If when you get done you still have questions start a new discussion. You will find the New Discussion button at the bottom of the article page under the list of already started discussions.
DrO |
