redandblue
Well-Known Member
Hi, my girl has been on field rest following an injection into her navicular bursa (front left) at the beginning of the month. I checked her last Thursday evening (she was fine in the morning) and she could not weight bear on her front right. Her leg was swollen from her fetlock to her elbow and needless to say the vet was called. She was running a temperature of 38.6 and was in considerable discomfort. Vet diagnosed cellulitis inflamation and precribed antibiotics and bute and frequent cold hosing but to turn her out so that she could move about.
By the next day the swelling had begun to subside and she was putting weight on her poorly leg but was still uncomfortable on hard surfaces. Every day since there has been an improvement and her temperature is normal again, however, the worst of the remaining swelling is located in her fetlock and just above on the back of her leg (up to mid cannon bone). I have also noticed that she is over extending her fetlock when weight bearing on it. Hard surfaces are still uncomfortable for her but she is getting around in her small flat paddock much more comfortably now. There is still a little heat in this area despite meds and cold hosing.
She has yet to complete her course of oral antibiotics and I'm not sure if I am being paranoid about the swelling/inflamation that is left. I saw a picture of a horse with tendonitis and it is very similar to how she is presenting now.
I suppose my question is, could the initial onset of tendonitis present like cellulitis with whole-leg swelling and an increased temperature or am I just being premature? My mare has already been out of action for 6 months with her front left and the thought of another 6-12 months off fills me with dread.
Thank you for reading my rather long post but any words of wisdom/experience would be greatly appreciated.
By the next day the swelling had begun to subside and she was putting weight on her poorly leg but was still uncomfortable on hard surfaces. Every day since there has been an improvement and her temperature is normal again, however, the worst of the remaining swelling is located in her fetlock and just above on the back of her leg (up to mid cannon bone). I have also noticed that she is over extending her fetlock when weight bearing on it. Hard surfaces are still uncomfortable for her but she is getting around in her small flat paddock much more comfortably now. There is still a little heat in this area despite meds and cold hosing.
She has yet to complete her course of oral antibiotics and I'm not sure if I am being paranoid about the swelling/inflamation that is left. I saw a picture of a horse with tendonitis and it is very similar to how she is presenting now.
I suppose my question is, could the initial onset of tendonitis present like cellulitis with whole-leg swelling and an increased temperature or am I just being premature? My mare has already been out of action for 6 months with her front left and the thought of another 6-12 months off fills me with dread.
Thank you for reading my rather long post but any words of wisdom/experience would be greatly appreciated.
