Duke's visit with Dr. Gottlieb; Babying his foot

Although Duke appeared to be miraculously cured after I called and made his appointment, I decided to bring him down anyway, reasoning that a) they might be able to see something I can't (especially after a flex test), b) I would be neurotic about every misstep if I didn't, and c) at the least, I could get his hock injections early.
Duke had a little reaction to the hoof testers, a little more for the left front than the right front, but a little reaction in both.
Duke started on the straight trots on the pavement just as sound as could be.
But when we put him on the lunge line, holy cow.  Very lame.  And what Dr. G could see that I couldn't (but which explained why I had such a hard time saying right or left) was that it was switching, from right to left and back again, although it was worse today going right.
They lunged him again on the harder ground, and then we nerve blocked his right front.
In between, flex test.  Nothing.
That reduced the lameness, but didn't eliminate it, so then we x-rayed his right front.
Nothing.  A beautiful foot.  Except that the x-rays show he has a very thin sole.
So Dr. G recommended that we use pads in his shoes now that the ground is hard:  she recommended leather or plastic, and said we could use a full pad with pour in, but that can sometimes make things worse because it puts pressure on the thin sole.
If he goes lame again, then he will come back down and MRI both front legs, because last time it was left (with the injection) and this time it was both, but mostly right.
She said avoid turnout until his shoes are on, then put him in the rehab pen for a week.  This week he's on stall rest (while we wait for Brent) and then next week is walk only.  No bute unless he's miserable.
I will also do magic cushion at night and keratex or durasole during the day.
She said his angles and the shape are good, he doesn't need wedges.

So for going forward:
Day of farrier: a gram of bute, stall rest, no riding
Day after farrier:  light work
Whenever one foot is hot:  pack it with poultice (like magic cushion)
Ok to use keratex or durasole in the day
After xc or a hard workout, OR when he has heat, let him stand in a feed tub with ice (in addition to icing his legs) or use whirlpool ice boots instead of just regular ice boots.  BUT - be careful not to do too often because if his foot gets too wet, it will start to fall apart
And, she didn't say this, but I think he wears pads March - November, and then can have just shoes December - February (I'm not sure how magic cushion and keratex/durasole work if pads are on)