If your horse's gait is off, it can be a sign that something isn't right. A lameness evaluation can help to diagnose your horse's issue so that treatment and healing can begin right away.
Lameness Exams for Horses in Stanislaus County & Beyond
Lameness can be quite simply described as any alteration in your horse’s normal gait.
Your horse's lameness evaluation will begin with a review of previous medical records and answering a series of questions so that your vet gets a full understanding of your horse’s medical and farriery history and work/exercise routine.
Our vets at Taylor Veterinary Emergency will conduct a visual appraisal of your horse at rest and then evaluate conformation, balance, and weight-bearing, and look for any signs of injury or stress.
What is involved in an equine lameness evaluation?
A complete hands-on examination will be conducted in search of pain points, heat, or swelling of muscles, joints, bones, and tendons.
Our equine vets will evaluate the movement of your horse at a walk and trot for several signs including head bobbing, switching leads, stiffness, shortening of the stride, and poor performance.
Joint flexion tests will be done to illuminate any subtle signs of pain and irregular movement.
Why are these exams performed in the hospital?
To ensure a controlled environment our vets always prefer to work on any lameness examination at our equine health facility.
Further diagnostics may be required including blocking joints and nerves with a local anesthetic to pinpoint the origin of the lameness. Once isolated, imaging with X-rays and ultrasound can help to pinpoint the precise problem causing your horse's lameness.
This knowledge allows us to design a specific recovery plan to meet the unique needs of your horse.