Diastrophia dwarf?

[jaytori220]

I have a special needs mini that is approx 29" tall. She looks normal. Not even showing any dwarfism. But she has a back hoof that is twisted and at the pastern. I have had a few people say that she is not a dwarf. I have hunted down the person that used to own her and bottle fed her. She was premature and the mare rejected her. The woman told me a few things i was told when I got her and she told me that she has a type of dwarfism. But she doesn't have the short legs, big head, or crooked back. Can a mini have a mild form of dwarfism that they don't even show?

 

[atotton]

Could you upload a picture of her? That may help.

 

[jaytori220]

Here she is.

 

[MindyLee]

Dont look dwarf to me but maybe a injury like being stepped on as a newborn and was never fixed...???

but not dwarfy.

 

[jaytori220]

I agree also. But the breeder said that she has a type.of dwarfism. But I dont see it in her.

 

[ohmt]

No, not a dwarf. May i ask if you have a farrier working on the hoof? It looks very oddly cut in that picture.

 

[Tremor]

Looks like an old injury. Not dwarfism.

From my experience dwarfism does not cause deformed hooves. The deformed hooves are caused by deformed legs (lax or contracted tendons for example) that thus caused the hooves to wear down because of the unnatural angles. It does not help that hooves like the ones I am explaining are neglected and not taken care of properly.

Your mare is not horribly conformed btw.

 

[jaytori220]

Yes i do. The pic was taken the week i got her. We have an awesome farrier that trim her every 5 weeks. She has.i.proves alot since i got her.

 

[disneyhorse]

I don't think dwarfism, but still could be some kind of prenatal issue. I know of a man born with a severely deformed arm, he isn't a dwarf he was just born that way...

Seems like it could be similar...

 

[jaytori220]

She was premature and bottle fed. Cause mom rejected her. So a prenatal issue could be it. She is also.partially blind. In which i am still trying to find out why. She is only 3 this year.

 

[Tremor]

She was premature and bottle fed. Cause mom rejected her. So a prenatal issue could be it. She is also.partially blind. In which i am still trying to find out why. She is only 3 this year.

Personally, there is A LOT that her previous owner isn't telling you. Just saying.

 

[LAminiatures]

I have seen this before on another mini. The vet did x-rays tot figure out what was happeneing and the farrier then trimmed the foot and also added to the foot to support the changes. It took almost 2 years to fix but looks so much more normal than it did. Good luck

 

[Carolyn R]

Personally, there is A LOT that her previous owner isn't telling you. Just saying.

I don't know if that is a fair statement to make. Lack of knowledge doesn't nessecarily mean ill intent to mislead. I have seen birth deformities on here, joints that were fused in odd positions, it is rare but it happens. Chances are the previous owner may have asked a more knowledgable person for input and a "dwarf " label got slapped on the mini, couple that with a poor vet knowledge and a bad ferrier, and you essentially have the blind leading the blind. While it agitates that poo out of me when people don't research what can be done to help their animals, we all know that sometimes lack of funds, lack of research tools, and lack of knowledgeable professionals all ad to the mix.

 

[ohmt]

I agree Carolyn. I am thinking the mare probably had a very hard birth. Could be the reason for the blindness and maybe even the deformed hoof (if she was up and down and maybe fell on her?). Could also be the reason for the rejection.

 

[Margo_C-T]

The hoof and the blindness suggest to me birth trauma and/or birth defects, perhaps? She doesn't have 'the best' conformation, but I don't see any sort of dwarfism that i am familiar with.

Margo

 

[minie812]

I do not see anything on her that SCREAMS a dwarf. I have a yearling colt that got his front hoof caught in a fence and tore part of it off and we had to cut back the rest. He walked funny for a time and we have trimmed weekly as his hoof has grown and he has only a slight toe out now. Possibly an injury on your mini that was not handled proper?

 

[HGFarm]

I also agree no dwarf here but possible bad injury to that hoof/ankle at one time. If it was a genetic problem, I would think you would see it in more than just the one foot. Her other one looks normal. Yes, I would have a good experienced farrier or vet take a look at that to see what can be done to make it as normal as possible.

 

[jaytori220]

I talked to the lady today that her and bottle fed her. She was born prematurely and was born with all four legs crooked. They worked to get them straight and that left back was the worst. Her legs were so crooked that she couldn't walk. As for her blindness she also was born that way. I don't think she is fully blind. Im pretty sure partially. She seems to see much better close up then far away. This mare had a very bad start in life. Im thinking the eye issue is from lack of oxygen during birth.

 

[jaytori220]

Oh and the lady said that she does suffer from some dwarfism. But Im with you all. I just don't see it in her at all.

 

[Marty]

Actually you are in luck because there are quite a selection of really good vets in your area that can run a few tests on her eyes and see if there is anything that can help her. Best wishes you to.