Pre Trim evaluation 6

Still Aug 29 2007

The vet leaves and asks me not to trim until he develops the x rays to make sure they would turn out. Great idea...but I am dying to trim him. ;)

I took this time to do a thorough pre trim evaluation...and document it. We filmed him walking over rocks and pasture grass. We also took pre trim measurements of his feet as well as thorough photos and video from all angles.

The smell of his feet were aweful and something that doesn't pass through pictures or video. It smelled like cadaver feet. It smelled like death! There was a lot of black greasy necrotic tissue that the hoof pic just slid off of. The strong scent was much like one of those chemical toilets you might see at a fair or something...the blue little boxes! Yuck.

Vegas tried hard to hold himself up on 3 legs, but having to leave his most comfortable pain pose proved almost impossible. He would have a pain spasm and slam his feet down on the ground again. We took things slowly in asking him to lift up his feet and then did a power trim while they were up.
Veggis licked and chewed and yawned a LOT during this process...and for the first time his distant gaze in his eyes focused on us...his ears perked up and he continued to look at what we were doing with his feet and seemed interested and accepting.

The pic below is showing the LF side shot before and during the initial trim. Note the already drastic change in the angle of the bones. An initial trim like this is like having a big chiropractic adjustment...for the better. Movement is KEY after a trim like this...it must be supplied in the free choice manner as well as handwalking on ground that he can handle. He'll not be rock crushing sound yet...;)

After this trim...Vegas was Super friendly with us. He followed us everywhere we went. His eyes were expressive and alert...his lips and face relaxed. He probably felt a huge endorphin rush.

His walking was with much larger steps. His landing was tender as if unsure of where his feet were or were going. In approximately 2 hours post trim...his movement was more confident.

The RF is the most problematic. It had been labelled a 'club' foot for many years already. It is on it's way to becoming 'normal' and healthy.

He was put back in the visitor paddock for the night with the others eating along side of him. Tomorrow is another day. :)