Lucci: Peeling Back the Layers of Lameness

Lucci is a 17-year-old Quarter Horse mare who once loved barrel racing. Over time, she seemed less and less excited to work. Her owner gradually limited her high-speed work, but Lucci still didn’t seem to be herself. She resented being tacked up and was grumpy when ridden at all.

On evaluation, there was no overt lameness, but Lucci had a short, shuffling gait that lacked impulsion. She had coffin joint effusion on both front joints and was positive to lower forelimb flexions. She also had soreness to palpation over her neck and lumbar spine and was positive to hock flexions. 

Nerve blocks were performed on both front lower limbs. After the left front was blocked, she was lame on her right front limb. After the right front was blocked, she evened out but still lacked momentum. The decision was made to inject her coffin joints and hocks with corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid and to use shockwave therapy on her neck and lower lumbar region. Her owner also performed core exercises and advanced neck and lumbar exercises at home.  

At her second shockwave therapy appointment, Lucci’s owner reported that she was doing better overall, but having trouble holding her left lead when loping. On exam she was moving much more freely but still had soreness to deep palpation over her neck. She also resented the caudal extension of her left front limb. At this appointment, the joints in her lower neck were injected with corticosteroids and HA.  

On recheck at her final shockwave appointment, Lucci had again improved. She had gained a great deal of muscle and was much happier.  She still however had some trouble holding her left lead. Her neck palpated much more comfortably, but she was sore to palpation directly over her left biceps tendon. Therapeutic ultrasound and shockwave therapy were performed in these areas and the owner borrowed the therapeutic ultrasound to continue treatments at home.

At her final recheck, Lucci seemed back to 100%. She was able to perform a job she hadn’t performed in a long time and was finally enthusiastic about it again! Often lameness is about peeling back the layers of discomfort. It’s not always a quick fix and it takes commitment and cooperation from both the owner and the rehab team!