when do you call the vet?

[lubblyjubblies]

Turned up to field today to find my little pony doing his best broken leg impression. Now, need your opinions on this. It is obviously one foreleg.I think I detect a bit of heat and a pinch of puffyness just above heel bulb. No scrapes cuts etc. Hoof feels slightly warm and a slight digital pulse. He does seem quite unhappy with having sole of foot tapped, but to be fair he isnt particularly good with having feet touched anyway. Reluctant to call a vet as 2 months ago he suddenly went dog lame and they took one look at him (think thelwell pony) and diagnosed lami,the next day he popped a big abscess. I am sure they will say the same if he resents the sole pincher thing, but I am positive it isnt. I cold hosed, then put support boots on and he is slowly limping round, and gave a sachet of bute with his tea. I think he may be brewing another abscess but field did look like it had been ploughed this morning, and there were chunks of someones tail all around, so they have obviously been mucking around so a tweaked muscle/tendon not impossible.
So, am I a terrible person, or would you have called vet. By good fortune farrier coming tomorrow so he can maybe have a dig round if necessary.

ask farrier, he should be able to diagnose abcess. if you do ring the vet mention last abcess, same symptoms etc they should then be more open to that rather than laminitis

i wouldn't have called the vet either

rest, bute and keeping an eye for a few days is what i would have done, and as farrier is coming anyway, all the more so!

Well, farrier came today. Ruled out lami but definately felt it was foot. Had a little rummage round, no obvious tracks but still thinks it likely an abscess. He is still hopping lame, but def no heat swelling in leg, so more bute, have poulticed, and see what tomorrow brings.
Hopefully a boot full of lovely gunk

I wish you lots of gunk! [grin}

No gunk yet, but still v lame, so still hoping for abscess. Have poulticed again with epsom salts. Thinking its going to be another coronary band one. No heat, swelling or tenderness anywhere in leg, so other causes Unlikely me thinks.
fingers crossed for foul smelling gunk soon!

Come on now - I keep checking this thread looking for gunk!

We want gunk

If your pony is "Thelwell", and severely lame on one forelimb, the opposite forelimb is at increased risk of developing laminitis. Vet involvement would not do any harm.

He is getting about fine now. He lives out and whilst he is calmer than normal,he is now trotting of his own accord when he feels like it, (especially in opposite direction if he spots the headcollar). He is up to his normal walking pace, but nodding so still lame, but much less so. Despite being a fat cresty native he has never had laminitis (except previous diagnosis which really was classic abscess imo) but he is muzzled 24/7 regardless.
Because of the albeit fairly slow improvement I am going back to my original thought of a twingey tendon type problem. We have also solved the problem of how our 17.2 lad has been getting tiny hoof prints on the back/top of his rug.Concerned neighbour has reported seeing pony trampolining on big un's back while he was trying to nap. First injury long overdue really!
There is no heat swelling or tenderness anywhere. Unless heavily sedated he cannot be brought in so feel we are doing best by him for now.
He is going to horsepital wed anyway for boosters so can be seen if necessary but feeling it wont be needed by then.
So sadly no gunk or quick fixes. Sure with this awful weather there will be gunk aplenty for lots of us