A little worried :(

Michen

Michen

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But trying not to be neurotic. Can't shake a bad feeling about this though. B came in with a kick wound and swollen leg yesterday lunch time. Wouldn't let me touch it, sound ish in walk very lame in trot. Didn't like where it was so vet out who doped, steroid injected, cleaned the very small "wound", antibiotics and Bute. Said to think about an X ray if swelling hadn't gone down fairly significantly by Monday.

Leg more swollen today. Pony sounder but on Bute. Turned him out in a very grassy small paddock and came in just as swollen. He's not the sort of pony to swell up from a nick so I am feeling a little concerned that this could be something a bit more sinister. Especially given it didn't reduce despite turnout. Pony doesn't do well on box rest.

Any thoughts?

Pics..



 
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I guess though there would have still been hoof impact over the knee, even if not the bit that actually caused the slight wound. Hmmmm!

Auslander said:
Ahh. Pics just showed up.
It's not over the joint, so I wouldn't be unduly worried at this point. Are you icing it?
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Michen said:
I guess though there would have still been hoof impact over the knee, even if not the bit that actually caused the slight wound. Hmmmm!
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It's generally the toe that causes the wound, so impact is usually above the wound. The femur is well protected by soft tissue, so I would hope you've got away fairly lightly. In my experience, forearms do swell like crazy - poor boy!
 
Auslander said:
It's generally the toe that causes the wound, so impact is usually above the wound. The femur is well protected by soft tissue, so I would hope you've got away fairly lightly. In my experience, forearms do swell like crazy - poor boy!
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I really hope so! I'm usually fairly sensible about these sort of things but I have this weird pit in my stomach about it... perhaps a bottle of wine is needed lol!
 
Try not to worry ! I had a pony kicked in the hock, it was 3x the size all around the joint and I was convinced it was broken. It went down in a couple of weeks with antibiotics and flamazine applied to the wound. The vet said he was weight bearing so not to worry.
 
Would he let you bandage it? It would help reduce the swelling. But as others have said, I wouldn't be unduly worried just yet as he is still weight bearing and walking.
 
EKW said:
Would he let you bandage it? It would help reduce the swelling. But as others have said, I wouldn't be unduly worried just yet as he is still weight bearing and walking.
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Bandage above the knee? Doubtful, I can only just get near enough to slap cream on the wound. But that's not because its so painful- its because the horse is a bloody idiot!
 
Cuts above the knee often swell up dramatically and don't go down as quickly with turn out as those below tend to, R had something similar a couple of years ago, the vet was more concerned than I was by how swollen it was, it took a while but went down and hasn't even left a mark.
 
I hope this is the case with B! X

be positive said:
Cuts above the knee often swell up dramatically and don't go down as quickly with turn out as those below tend to, R had something similar a couple of years ago, the vet was more concerned than I was by how swollen it was, it took a while but went down and hasn't even left a mark.
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If he's happy to be weight bearing then I would relax a little. Cold hose for about 15 mins at a time. This area of the leg often seems to take a long time to 'go down' when swollen. If you're still concerned then I'd try and limit turnout or just keep it to a pen. Hope he's soon recovered!
 
my horse got kicked there, he had a fractured radius. I would ask for an x ray. Mine made a full recovery but we crossed tied and cast him straight away. Mine wasn't very lame.
 
It's quite a good area for swelling up I think. Cyprian had a kick just slightly higher up and I couldn't believe how swollen it was for such a small cut. I was blaming his being a pansy WB!
 
As others have said, this area can swell up dramatically so try not to panic just yet. Is he sound on it? Having him out and walking around is a good idea.
 
I had a horse a few years ago who was kicked in the exact same place. His leg swelled that much you couldn't even make out where his knee was. He had a nice v flap of skin hanging off as well. I treated it myself. Cold hosing twice a day, cleaned wound with saline twice a day. Fly repellent around wound twice a day and chucked him out 24/7 (was summer) it did take around two weeks I think for swelling to go (made its way down the leg) but he was sound as a pound in the end and no scar and no fat knee. Good luck
 
Thanks everyone. Will try not to worry yet then although what Charlie76 mentioned is what's at the back/front of my mind! Still as swollen today but he's off Bute and about 85% sound.
 
He's pretty sound Cortez... sound in walk and around 85% in trot if I had to put a figure on it. Still not letting me touch it though without a massive arguement!

Cortez said:
As others have said, this area can swell up dramatically so try not to panic just yet. Is he sound on it? Having him out and walking around is a good idea.
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Is he on Bute? I would ask the vets to up the dose for a few days for the anti-inflammatory properties and keep up the cold hosing, as much inhand walking as you can both face. Looks forelimb rather than hind? But still a fair covering to the radius :)
 
rara007 said:
Is he on Bute? I would ask the vets to up the dose for a few days for the anti-inflammatory properties and keep up the cold hosing, as much inhand walking as you can both face. Looks forelimb rather than hind? But still a fair covering to the radius :)
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He was but ran out today, I can stick him on some more but wanted to see how sound he was off it to decide whether to x day on mon. Yep forelimb! He's more than happy to walk (or gallop!!!)
 
I've had three with similar kicks and swelling Michen. None were a long term problem. You might need to squeeze adhesions free as it heals from inside. Gruesome, but sometimes you can feel them snap! When he will let you touch it, massage the lumps out of it, and keep the hole open until it completely stops draining serum. I think he'll be fine as long as it doesn't get infected.

Let us know?
 
WHAT!? I have never even heard of doing this... of to google lol. I think B would savage me! Thanks ycbm :)

ycbm said:
I've had three with similar kicks and swelling Michen. None were a long term problem. You might need to squeeze adhesions free as it heals from inside. Gruesome, but sometimes you can feel them snap! When he will let you touch it, massage the lumps out of it, and keep the hole open until it completely stops draining serum. I think he'll be fine as long as it doesn't get infected.

Let us know?
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Speaking as an owner of a horse with a permanent swelling in that area (well slightly lower) I wouldn't be too worried. My lad's is as a result of a nick to the extensor tendon sheath as a 2 yo, it can go up and down, has never given him a day's lameness, but he can still be a bit funny about me touching it.
X ray sounds like a good idea though - just so you can be certain of what you're treating.
 
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