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Discussion on WHen to move forward
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Member:
spinosa
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Posted on Friday, Apr 4, 2008 - 2:03 pm:
Dr O,
My horse is ending month 3 of his rehab schedule. I would like to allow him to be in a "stall AND equivalent sized paddock" as Dr Gillis's article suggests at this point. My horse does not have any heat, or obvious swelling. He is sound on level ground. My problem is that if he goes up an incline he still takes shorter steps with the left front.
The article says that if clinical signs of heat swelling or pain on palpation are no longer present that it is OK to move forward in his rehab...Isn't stepping short on an incline considered a clinical sign?
Does this mean that I should not prolong his walks or let him have a little more room with a bigger stall/paddock until he never shows a false step?
ALso, a friend has a horse under Gillis's direct care, and she says that her rehab protocol is a bit faster. After 3 months she can add 5 min of trot. The article on this site says after 5-6 months you can begin with trot. My girlfriend said that they are following Gillis's current standard protocol with no deviations from the norm. Is there an updated article out there that you can find? I noticed that this article was from the 90s.
Thanks,
Michelle
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 5, 2008 - 10:06 am:
Hello Michelle,
I have not seen an updated rehab schedule. But understand there is no way to compare your case with your friend's case as the degree of injury will not be exactly the same and the ability of the two horses to heal not the same. Whether you can increase the rate of rehab without increasing the rate of reinjury will require an examination by your veterinarian.
The question is whether the short step represents lameness as an uneven walk is not always because of pain. This will require a examination to discern.
DrO
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Member:
spinosa
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 5, 2008 - 10:59 am:
If there is any pain at any time, does that mean to not move forward in rehab?
Do all clinical symptoms have to be completely gone before they can leave their box stall and have more than handwalking?
Other than on steep incline, my horse does not have any noticeable pain. He seems like a normal horse.
Thank you for your time.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Apr 7, 2008 - 7:50 am:
Michelle, the rehab program in the article figures lameness into the progress evaluation and the rate of rehabilitation but it is the combination of ultrasound and clinical signs that determine your rate of rehabilitation.
DrO
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