Dr Craig and Dukes hurt fletlock

It was cold and raining when I got to the farm. Bob was reading in the office and Bobby drove by with the cart, he was busy.  I checked in with Bob and gave him the months  board.  When Raychel and I got there Duke was already at the rail.  I parked and put on my muck boots on.   Raychel came up from the lower parking lot.  I told Bob that I was having the VET come next week, on Sunday, He said ok what ever you think.  He had said that he hadn't noticed that he was limping.   

The Vet, Dr Craig Smith or Dr Craig said that it wasn't the best prognosis.   I feel better knowing that 

he's got arthirits. 

The Dr said that he wanted to go through some different tasks and walk him around.

So I walked him around first then I needed to trot him.  He wouldn't trot so Dr Craig said he needed to slap him on the ass. I didn't like that very much.  He slapped him and I ran with him. Craig watched him carefully.

Then he took him and in the picture below he is holding his left leg in a curled position for a few minutes.  Duke looked down at me to make sure everyone was ok.

Then we walked again one way around. 

The the next lap, Craig slapped him again to see him go into a trot.  He seemed ok.  Not as severe of a limp.  

Then Dr Craig compressed (held his joint together) the lower part of the front right, fetlock for a few minutes and let it go.  

Again I walked and did a lap trotting.  Duke looked worse.

He warmed up the Xray machine and laptop and said it would take about 10min.  Raychel and I hung out with Duke.  I put some of the supplements into the pan and put some Hoofsnax in too.  I let him go into the stall.  Duke was so cute going into his old stall. 

Dr Craig called Duke and I over.  He placed a wooden block for Duke to place his hoof on to place the Xray block behind it so that he can get a good picture. I held Duke in front and Bobby helped from behind.  Duke was excellent for the X-rays. Even though he may have moved a few times and screwed up the pics.  

XRAY Machine:

Dr Craig said that we needed to take some pictures of the the area.  I said X-rays?  How?

He said come into the barn. 

This pictures shows the damage in the front there is a gray areas that is right after the connection of the bones.  That is where the arthritis is for Duke.

This X-ray is of the front and the growth on the left side isn't causing any problems but looks nasty.