Arthritis in the felock joint (LONG sorry)

[EmmaJ]

My mare has been in the field for 6 weeks now after a 3 months of box rest after a serverly damaged cartilage removal (key hole sergery). Vets advised to gradually turn her out & limit the space in which i did, i could start riding after 2 weeks if still sound and treat her like an unfit horse, and turn her out with the herd after 4 weeks.
It was 5 weeks when i decided to turn her out with herd and they were changing fields (sunday) Got her in last with a wound bang on her fetlock, showing no signs of lameness i cleaned, hosed and creamed the area. Nothing to serious but seems swollen this morning, and a little tender when touching. Again i hosed it down & put her back out with herd. Shes currently on newmarket supp & green lipped mussels, she wears bioflow boots of a night too. Even before this wound, her fetlock area always seems to be swollen (windgall type feeling - very squigy) Will this ever go down or can i get anything to help this? I may be over reacting as she is sound and weight barely evenly on both hind legs??!!!!
I cant decied wether to turn her out in boots too? when i was putting the bioflo boots on 24/7 (rotating with all 4 legs) she has weeping areas which has caused the hair to grow back white (now im a little paranoid)
I new to arthritis and know berley anything about it, only what i've researched on the internet....
Thanks for getting this far, just want some advise & reassurance that im doing the right thing? I am also waiting on the vets cb.

 

[digitalangel]

sounds like my horse!

After 5 months box rest, he turned out, was brill for a week, then decided to roll next to the fence, and got a leg caught in the lectric and freaked. Came in with a wound on the cannon - it took a few days to calm down - i treated with wound cream and cold hosing.

The swelling youre talking about doesnt sound like arthritis to me - sounds like distension of the tendon sheath. My boy also had a bone chip in his fetlock, but due to scar tissue his fetlock/pastern will always be slightly bigger than the other - perhaps it is the same for yours?

I turn my boy out in boots, but that didnt stop him injuring himself!

Wait for the vet to call back i guess, but it sounds to me like youre doing everything right so try not to worry !

xx