All four legs swollen...? Ideas...?

catembi

catembi

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At a loss with this one. Trev has been coming in with filled legs for the past few days - the sort of thing that you'd expect if a horse that is used to being kept out was on box rest. Except that he lives out & still lives out. No change in diet or exercise. Mine live at home, so I know exactly what goes on.

The only things that have happened recently are that Adrian's owner moved him to a different yard, I acquired a mini shetland baby (Florence) to keep Trev company & he had his annual jab about 2 weeks ago. I kept the little filly separate from him until I'd done a worm count on her (clear).

He is okay in himself - looks a bit fed up, but that's pretty much normal for him. No swollen glands in the neck, not lame, no sign of injury. He is still eating & has the odd charge up the field with mini-me in hot pursuit. He loves his new little friend & little Flo seems healthy enough.

H'mm...it's one thing after another with Trev. I don't really want to call the vet out specially, but I've got to start Flo's jabs so I suppose I could mention it.

T x
 
I had it with one of mine when there was too much protein in the diet (IE the grass was really lush).

Have you had the rain and warm days that we've had here? If so it could be a possibility. I cut all hard feed, restricted grass intake and exercised to bring the legs down.
 
Faracat said:
I had it with one of mine when there was too much protein in the diet (IE the grass was really lush).

Have you had the rain and warm days that we've had here? If so it could be a possibility. I cut all hard feed, restricted grass intake and exercised to bring the legs down.
Click to expand...

Oh I never new that too much protein could cause that - thanks Faracat I've learned something new today :)
 
H'mm, hadn't thought of mud fever madlady...he is TB so no feather & we're on sand - the field never gets boggy (or even very wet), so it didn't occur to me. I think I'd have noticed mud fever when picking out feet, but I will have a good look later.

Faracat - that's a good idea too. We hardly ever get proper grass here - on sand & Adrian ate it faster than it grew - but with his voracious appetite gone & replaced with little nibbly shetland who eats about as much as a guinea pig, the grass has actually gone mad. Just in 2 1/2 weeks, the bald bits have resprouted & the fields are looking green instead of scalped. Maybe that's it. In fact, they aren't particularly eating up their hay (every last blade used to go) so maybe they're not hungry cos they're getting grass? I will cut down on hard food & see what happens.

Adrian once came in with his legs HUGE & also his head enormous, & it turned out that the neighbours had put...can't rem...grass or hedge cuttings...over the fence, or he'd somehow reached thru the fence & got something off their compost heap... (He was obsessed with getting food.) The houses have been empty for over a year, so that's not it this time, but it show how much effect a good gorge can have. Thank you - I'd forgotten about that!

T x
 
catembi said:
little nibbly shetland who eats about as much as a guinea pig
Click to expand...

Ahh such a cute description!

Nothing to add really, first thing I thought of was mud fever maybe, our mare goes a bit puffy as a first sign, the scabs don't tend to appear til a bit later with her. Either way, hope you get to the bottom of it soon!
 
Maybe this thread needs some cute shetland photos... These are from the day she arrived:

New-arrival_zpsif5euvv1.jpg


Little-pony_zpsiwgwjflw.jpg


She is a dear little thing. So tiny, and when I turn her out again after she's had her notional handful of breakfast, she looks round at me as if debating whether she'd rather stay with mummy, then trundles off after Trev with a v serious expression like a child on its first day at school.

T x
 
Have a good look under the back of the pastern. I was religiously checking my horses legs and missed that bit..le voila, mud fever.
 
Second really checking legs for mud fever as years ago mine had same and although wasn't lame had cellulitis in both hinds from a tiny spot of mud fever.
 
I had a really good look at lunchtime & couldn't find any mud fever at all (a previous one of mine had it ages ago as was temporarily moved to a wet field so I think I know what I'm looking for) & his legs went down after a quick school in the arena, so we shall try reducing food & seeing what happens (apart from getting a grumpier horse...!)

T x
 
Oh gosh, I'm so stupid...there's a thread that I've just seen on the feeding forum re linseed vs copra...someone said that linseed is v high protein & guess what I've started feeding recently... I thought I'd get Trev a sack to help keep his weight up over winter... He's had it before, but not in conjunction with grass as Adrian has previously put paid to any aspirations re trying to grow grass...! So that probably hasn't helped.

T x
 
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