HashRouge
Well-Known Member
Last Thursday (after some time abroad) I noticed that my mare had odd swellings on her back legs, slightly higher and slightly further back from where the person has their finger on this picture: http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/fieldservice/SPORTMED/Lameness/LinkB/images/fetjtpch.jpg.
She was dcompletely sound and didn't appear to have any unusual heat in her legs or feet, nor did she react at all when I was touching the swollen areas. The swelling on one of her legs was noticeably larger than on the other and was fairly solid but squidgy (sorry, not very technical!). As she was sound and had previously been unridden for at least a week, I decided to start riding her again but obviously taking things easily and keeping an eye on them. There was no change until yesterday, when I noticed that a similar swelling had appeared on one of her forelegs, in a similar place but with additional swelling in roughly the same place as the finger in the picture. Once again, no heat, lameness, or soreness. I decided to have another look today and then decide whether or not to call the vet, even if it was just for advice. But, when I went up this morning, the swelling had completely disappeared on all legs apart from the hind leg that had been worst affected, but I'm really being pedantic saying there was still swelling there as it was hardly noticeable. If I hadn't been looking for it, I doubt I'd have noticed!
So I'm stumped! Does anyone have any idea what it could be? Horse is 18 and the ground has been very hard until last night, when it rained. However, she gets swelling in her legs when she's stood in over-night and it's very different to this. Another difference is I started her on a joint supplement at the weekend, although it wasn't really her joints that were affected! Any ideas greatly appreciated and I'll mention it to the vet when she has her jabs in a few weeks (horse, not the vet!).
She was dcompletely sound and didn't appear to have any unusual heat in her legs or feet, nor did she react at all when I was touching the swollen areas. The swelling on one of her legs was noticeably larger than on the other and was fairly solid but squidgy (sorry, not very technical!). As she was sound and had previously been unridden for at least a week, I decided to start riding her again but obviously taking things easily and keeping an eye on them. There was no change until yesterday, when I noticed that a similar swelling had appeared on one of her forelegs, in a similar place but with additional swelling in roughly the same place as the finger in the picture. Once again, no heat, lameness, or soreness. I decided to have another look today and then decide whether or not to call the vet, even if it was just for advice. But, when I went up this morning, the swelling had completely disappeared on all legs apart from the hind leg that had been worst affected, but I'm really being pedantic saying there was still swelling there as it was hardly noticeable. If I hadn't been looking for it, I doubt I'd have noticed!
So I'm stumped! Does anyone have any idea what it could be? Horse is 18 and the ground has been very hard until last night, when it rained. However, she gets swelling in her legs when she's stood in over-night and it's very different to this. Another difference is I started her on a joint supplement at the weekend, although it wasn't really her joints that were affected! Any ideas greatly appreciated and I'll mention it to the vet when she has her jabs in a few weeks (horse, not the vet!).
