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Post by Vida on Mar 21, 2003 15:36:10 GMT -5
Went out to feed this morning and was putzing around, then my friend comes over and screams when she sees his leg (I hadn't even noticed!). It is totally swollen from 2 inches under the elbow all the way to the pastern. It's really weird as the swelling starts like a big bulge and doesn't quit until the end of the leg. Had a close look and I think he got his knee stuck in something as he's got scrapes on either side of the knee at the sides. He's not lame on it at all which is odd and takes weight on it no problem. So pretty much just let him be and will keep a close eye on it. Other than looking awful, he's acting and moving normally.
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Post by Amy on Mar 21, 2003 16:08:09 GMT -5
Oh gosh, I hope you're right and it's nothing major. No heat, either?
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Post by niaru on Mar 21, 2003 17:53:12 GMT -5
Argh. Another one?! At least he's not lame on it...
I guess those Tbs can really blow up from the littlest scrap...
The furazone wrap did wonders for Charm, I slapped furazone on the swelling, then a thin cotton quilt, then the standing wrap. Left it all afternoon and overnight, and the next day she was fine.
The day before that, though, I had rubbed on some liniment (SoreNoMore or Absorbine herbal) without wrapping and that worked well, too. That might be an option for you since it would be difficult to wrap the whole leg!
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Post by chrisnstar on Mar 21, 2003 23:27:05 GMT -5
Gosh, I hope whatever it is, is nothing serious... I'm watching a weird lump on Zab's neck.. it doesn't seem to hurt him. At first I thought maybe it was a bite or something. He and Star play kind of rough some times... but it's just an odd lump... chris
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Post by CatB on Mar 21, 2003 23:36:51 GMT -5
You don't suppose it's the beginning of a melanoma, with him being a gray?
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Post by ZenRider on Mar 22, 2003 0:08:35 GMT -5
Am with Niaru on this, I think he's just overreacting to the scrapes and some furazone (of any type) can work wonders. As he seems sound, I really think that's the ticket. Hoping the best for you of course.  |
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Post by Katie Jo on Mar 22, 2003 0:15:04 GMT -5
Ok, not to scare you or anything.. But it sounds like lymphangitis... The scrapes would have caused the 'outbreak'... Hope it isn't.. But don't rule it out. Wrap, hose, wrap, hose...
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Post by Vida on Mar 22, 2003 0:38:53 GMT -5
Now you guys are scaring me. What's lymphangitis? My guys are all pretty hardy and could nearly cut their legs off without swelling! They can get deep gashes, big cuts, knock their legs and they generally don't swell. The only time I've ever had a swollen leg was when I blew a tendon on a horse I rode too hard but that's the limit of my experience with legs. Oh, and Vance swelled a little on a back pastern when he scraped it soon after he came but once his feet were in balance he doesn't swell from scrapes anymore. The leg isn't hot (just a little warm) and he's still not fussed about it as of this evening but the swelling hasn't gone down either. My intuition tells me to take him out and exercise him to try to dissipate the swelling but am too chicken in case the swelling is trying to heal something in there that he may have pulled or punctured. He's really fat and my first thought was that his leg blew from the weight but then I found the scrapes on each side of his knee. He's also a couple of weeks overdue for a trim as I've been sick. What should I do with it? His eye is bright and alert as usual and other than seeing the thickness of the leg, he's normal so I haven't done anything with it. I'm not a big vet junkie so haven't even called although he's coming on Monday anyway to put Augie down and do some shots.
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Post by CatB on Mar 22, 2003 0:48:40 GMT -5
Vida - if he's not gimpy on it, let him have some turn out. As long as he keeps moving on it, the swelling should go down. Sounds like it's just inflammation from whatever he did to it. If he's still swollen on Monday, just have the vet take a peek. Oh, and will you PLEASE post pics of little Augie again, so we can all remember him? Please??  |
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Post by Einstein on Mar 22, 2003 1:21:22 GMT -5
Vida, Shorty had cronic lymphangitis, this doesn't sound like it to me though.
It's caused by bacteria in the ground getting into a scrape, punture, whatever. Typically the leg swells HUGE, pitting adema, there is massive heat, lameness, fever, and all around a sick looking horse. There is something simular called cellulitis. Lymphangitis responds to hand walking, cold hosing, massive antibiotics, and pressure bandages. It is very scary and I know of 1 horse that died from it.
To me at least, it doesn't sound like lymphangitis, other then the scrape and swelling, he's sound, no heat or fever. Take his temp to be sure, but Shorty always looked very ill the forst 24 hours, stopped eating, the whole 9 yards. Moderate forced excersize worked wonders, ie hand walking for 20-30 minutes.
After EVERY ride I scubbed Shorty's legs w/surgical betadine and kept him in standing wraps behind to prevent the swelling. I was told by CSU he was an extreme case of cronic lymphangitis, and some horses get it once and never again, but, and little scrape set him off.
Just from my experience with lymphangitis and Shorty, it doesn't sound the same, but he probably needs antibiotics if it swelled like this, and I think you're right about the excersize. I would get lazy an ride Shorty bareback for 30 minutes rather then walk in circles with him ;D
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Post by jennifer2 on Mar 22, 2003 1:42:08 GMT -5
lymphangitis, right? I think lymphangitis is a name for a symptom-- a swelling of the lymphs- regardless of the cause. VIDA don't panic. He's probably really just swollen up- sometimes horses have dramatic surface reactions to not much. As much as I don't care for heavy anti-biotics and "greasy kid stuff" I haven't been sorry yet that I put furazone, particularly as a sweat, on any leg injury, but I HAVE been sorry a few times when I haven't. I've had what I thought was minor soft cool swelling escalate- and then I had to sweat and grease for weeks where a prophylactic sweat would have nipped the problem off at the bud. Remember how poor the circulation in their legs is. Epsom soaks, cold hoses, anything to get the fluid out will help him heal. There just isn't enough room for swelling AND for the blood to circulate properly. OTH, if he's getting around and playing on it he'll probably be fine- it's the poor guys that have to be locked up that have the most complications. Well, I think he'll be fine anyway. Especially with you watching  . |
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Post by Vida on Mar 22, 2003 19:52:38 GMT -5
Took him for a ride today. The leg is still big, he's still in a great mood, no lameness. There seems to be a little gunk coming out of one of the scrapes so decided a ride would do him good to try to keep it oozing. It's in a spot where he can lick it easily if he needs to open it up more. He was a powerhouse on our ride. Tried to keep him at a relaxed walk but he kept trying to run the dogs down and just wanted to go and have fun. He felt great, his leg just looks yuk. I'll check it again tomorrow morning and take him in the woods again tomorrow. Thanks for the info on lymphangitis and Cat B, none of my horses are ever stalled. I think I tried to stall Mikhail about 8 years ago when I was mucking around with his lameness issues and he kicked the walls down 3 times and then proceeded to run around like a maniac and jumped the fence once he got out. He even tries to kick the door down when he's being grained so I just never shut the doors on him or else there's too much fixing to be done! Thanks Jen, I have some furazone so if I don't see it down a bit tomorrow, maybe I'll sweat it some. I gave him some apple cider vinegar in his food which is good for inflamation and need to go get some other herbal goodies that will help him along a little.
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Post by jennifer2 on Mar 22, 2003 20:42:46 GMT -5
with a lot of herbs- Oh pooh, you will. It sounds like he can keep on top of it too.
I had a nightmare with Fatty Ebby (now someone else's- no tears here for her) cutting a pastern and it was swollen but cool then it just WENT- she got hot and sore- but she was in a little pen and couldn't move around much and it was our first winter here and she wasn't at my house so I couldn't WATCH it all the time and just everything, you know? She was left with a minor thickening that eventually went pretty much all the way down. She vetted w/out comment on it.
Had she been OUT proper and been acclimated (and not been Fatty Ebby maybe?) it wouldn't have been anything at all, I'm sure.
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Post by sk on Mar 23, 2003 10:32:22 GMT -5
Vida: Cosette blows up like a balloon if she gets even a small scratch on her legs. I just cold hose her for about 10 minutes once or twice a day and clean the wound. She's not lame on it either, and in a few days the swelling is gone.
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Post by Katie Jo on Mar 23, 2003 15:27:01 GMT -5
I just know that my friends horse was just diagnosed with lymphangitis.. She got a small scratch, whole leg blew up, no lameness... WHOLE leg though... Cold hosed, turnout, wrapping, it went down in a week, but they have to watch her legs now.
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