Cant belive it think my baby has just thrown a SPLINT

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hayleymitch

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Already posted in new lounge, but thought it might be best in here.

Any splint advise out there ???
I know they are quite common, but i have been lucky enough to avoid them till NOW
Bud lost his shoe last week again in the field been mad again, and th shoe was off for 6 days till i could get a farrier out, so was just lunged not ridden.
He didnt seem perfectly sound, but was on the leg without a shoe so obviously i thought just foot sore, anyway.
Last night when i went down ( he had his shoe back on 2 days ago now) he had quite a large swelling to the inside of his near fore just under his knee, and then still swollen down the leg on the inside, but not as much.
It was quite hot in that one spot under knee, and he didnt really like me proding and poking it.
I exercised him to see if it went down and to see if he was LAME he WASNT in walk and trot but didnt want to canter and make the injury worse.
It sounds like a SPLINT doesnt it, i dont know whether he has done it in the field messing about when he lost his shoe or ????? could be anything with Bud.
Anyway what should i do now, i will cold hose it, should i give him some anti inflams?, should i put stable bandages on?,should i put a cold compress on it ?
But does he need box rest? or keep working with him with not being lame to try and get the swelling down?
I really dont know what i am goin to do with him if he needs box rest as he will absolutly go mad, he is very lively and playfull as he is still only 4 1/2, and he gets filled legs anyway when he stays in.
AAAAARRRRRRRRR I CANT BELIEVE THIS WHATS THE PLAN GUYS ??????????
Sorry for such a long post, some info might be irrelovent sorry, i do waffle .
 
I've just got this off the Global Herbs website and I quote "Causes of splint damage are: direct blows to the leg, work on hard ground, poor conformation and poor shoeing. They most easily occur in young horses under 6 years. Most splint damage is seen about 10cm below the knee on the inside of the front leg and there is pain and discomfort in the area. This pain can cause lameness if it interferes with structures like the suspensory ligament.

Splints are treated by reducing inflammation in the affected area. This can be done by using cold hosing, by using drugs like ‘Bute’, by resting and by applying ointments like DMS0. Surgery is not usually recommended unless the splints affect the suspensory ligament badly, keep getting knocked or cause arthritis in the knee joint."

There is also a likelikhood of your horse getting a splint in the opposite leg. This happened to me with my horse. Can't remember the explanation the vet gave me, something about anormal forces on the opposite leg. Don't worry they soon reduce in size and the horse is only lame whilst they are forming which is a few days at most. If you need to ride I would just stick to walking on a soft surface and definetely no concussion ie, trotting on roads.
 
Thanks for that advise hun, sounds like i was right cold hose, bute, and rest.
Do u think 1 bute a day with be enough ????
I dont have to ride,i could lunge but there is never in a million years he will just walk not doing any work he will end up squeeling and bucking gauranteed lol as i said quite a lively little chap.
 
I take it BIG bud is quite big then!? My WB is 17.1hh and approx 650KG I think. When he gets colic (on vets advice as he has had about two dozen 'attacks' in four years) the vet says to give him 3 - 4 bute (I am not sure what that equates to for Danillon) and stick him on the walker for 20 mins, put him back in stable and see how he is. 3 - 4 bute I would say, but to be on the safe side either give him 3 once a day or better still ring the vet and ask him. I may be wrong but to my knowledge bute in only dangerous accumulative ~(i.e over a long period of time).
 
If you want to give a pain killer bute is (I think) most commonly used, and most accepted.
Before giving large quantities I would call vet for guidance on dosage!
The reason applecart, for getting a splint in the other leg is, as you said, abnormal weight distribution.
If you think about it if you (for example) twist your ankle on your left leg, you compensate by putting more weight etc on your right leg, therefore your right leg is taking more work etc than the left, and so there is an increased chance of damage occuring as the leg can be "overpowered" as it were.

I keep on cold hosing, not sure about bandaging, def ring the vet just for advice if you don't want to pay for a call out.
If you exercise him where do you do it? if its in an arena with soft ground then lunging walk and trot etc should be ok, if its a hard field/arena or just on roads etc, then I would hold off, as (as stated) concussions will just knock it even worse!!!

Hope you manage to get it sorted! (sorry if iv not been anyhelp)
 
lol i wish he was big no he is tiny he is only 16.1, thats what they named him at the stud where i got him and they breed morgans which only go to about 15.2, so i guess he is big compared to what there used too, bless.

Thanks for your advice guys, update to follow.
 
update
I have been down tonight and now thinkin it might not be a splint.
His leg was still filled but not as much as yesterday, and there was no lump like yesterday and he has been in all day and night.
So let him off in the paddock while i mucked out and thought well that way he can do his own thing and if it is hurting he isnt goin to go bouncing around and just eat grass, instead of me lungeing him and pushing him to do something.
Anyway he carted around the paddock like a mad man flinging himself all over the paddock, bucking , rearing and me thinking oh [****] have i done the wrong thing so thought i wud catch him and bring him in.
How wrong was i...... he wouldnt let me catch him, and he always lets me, he has never before, after nearly getting kicked in the head from running of fly bucking, i left him too it and he ate quietly after his mad 10 minutes.
Anyway he came in with NO SWELLING IN THE LEG, and happy as larry.
So cold hosed it and lets see wat happens tomorrow, fingers crossed he hasnt done any more damage.
 
Mine had swelling on the inside near fore below the knee, not much and wasn't lame at all.
Had it scanned to be sure as it was near to the check ligament and it showed a slight fluid build up which is the bodies way of protecting the ligament when the horse tweaks it !
Hopefully your lad seems ok now, but if he does throw a slint I hear Spllintex is good, not tried it myself but have heard from others.
Good luck
 
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