Capped elbow

[Conniequestions]

Morning all, last week, my Connemara came in from the field with a capped elbow. 100% sound. Got the vet out and he went on a five day course of AB’s. No change and so on Friday, it was drained. By the evening it was half full again and yesterday back to full. My vet said this is strange. He has been wearing a sausage boot since it occurred and has been mainly out. I have only ridden on the flat so he doesn’t knock it. My vet is surprised it reoccurred so rapidly. I have never had a horse get a capped elbow - does anyone else have experience of this? I think we will drain it once more on Monday but not sure what to do if it just comes back again. TIA

 

[rabatsa]

While unsightly capped elbows and hocks rarely cause lameness. Any that developed we used to just live with and remove the cause if we could.

 

[ycbm]

I'm surprised about the antibiotics and I've always been told there's no point in draining as they will nearly always come back or go on their own if they are going to. Capped elbows aren't as common as capped hocks but I've never known one cause a problem. Unless you are into showing, I would leave it alone. Every draining procedure risks introducing infection.
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[Conniequestions]

Thank you so much. He is 15:3 so not showing at all.

 

[ycbm]

That's certainly over height, same as my friend's ?