Check Ligament care advice - swelling

[L&B]

Hello all,
Just awaiting call back from the vet and wanting some advice in the meantime -my mare strained her check ligament 5 weeks ago.
The vet came out 3 weeks ago and scanned her to confirm this - the ultrasound appeared like a tight knitted jumper on the un-damaged parts and like an over-stretched knitted jumper on the area of damaged ligament.
Following vet advice I have kept her bandaged 23 hours a day and cold hosed and in-hand walked for 10mins per day increasing by 5mins each week, the bandages however (even though using gamgee underneath and being a pro at bandaging -even if I do say so myself!) have started to affect her leg making it peel and look a little sore; presumably because her leg was shaved before the scan andhas left her pink delicate skin on show.
So I took the bandages off during the day yesterday and her leg swelled uppretty significantly. This went down after our 20min walking, but obviously I feel terrible...

Does anyone know how I can keep her legs peel-free but also stop them blowing up? And does anyone know WHY her legs are still swelling 5 weeks on? (they never even swelled that bad when she very first did her injury)...

 

[Pasha]

My boy sprained his check ligament in April (tiny little bump which looked like a splint), then 4 weeks later whilst still on box rest and just starting to walk out he tore his DDFT and sprained his SDFT too!

If I leave his bandages off, his legs fill too, much worse than they did when he initially injured himself. He is also very sensitive and has been getting scabby sore legs. Its a bit of a nightmare!

So now I am washing his legs every week in hibiscrub and warm water. I leave all bandages and boots off when riding him (he is now doing 45 mins walk and a tiny trot each day) and making sure I wash his bandages and pads every week. That's all you can do really.

I think it's the lack of air to the legs which causes the scabbing/soreness. The legs will fill when they are standing around doing nothing im afraid. As long as it's not the ligament itself that is flaring up then it's just a case of perservering.

 

[L&B]

Thanks Pasha! Least I know I'm not alone in this and she's not the only special-case of a horse!

What advice were you initially given? I have been told as above - to cold hose for 10mins per day, bandage for 23 of those hours and in hand walk for 10min per day increasing by 5mins. I am allowed to do this in saddle if I feel like I'd be in control (errrm, nope! Mummy on board means play time apparently :/). I've also been given the ball park of 5months for a re-scan and 6months to bring back into proper work -- if your boy hadn't done his DDFT, does that sound about right?

Sorry for all the questions and comparing, I know every horse is different, just nice to speak to someone who's been through similar

 

[dianchi]

My girl did her high suspensory ligament and was in from Sept to March the year she did it.
Also being a TB she had a similar issue with bandages, I invested in a pair of cashel stable wraps, much thicker than most on the market (actually they were the only at the time) this stopped her getting sores straight away and kept the swelling down.

6 months is about the right time frame for a ligament issue, I was also super careful on being back in work and went by the old school book with a week walking for every month off. Took me about 12 weeks to start cantering but she was super fit and hasn't had an issue since.

Time is the fixer here! Good luck!

 

[Birker2020]

Hello all,
Does anyone know how I can keep her legs peel-free but also stop them blowing up? And does anyone know WHY her legs are still swelling 5 weeks on? (they never even swelled that bad when she very first did her injury)...

As you say 'legs' I am presuming more than the check ligament leg is swelling up.

I would say its one of three things

1) the bandages are on too tight
2) the legs are swelling due to the lack of exercise (which can't be helped)
3)the injury is worse than suspected.

Presumably if you can rule out number 1 (you say you are a 'pro' bandaging) and you can rule out number 3 as the scan revealed there wasn't that much damage then I think you can safely say its number 2 that's too blame.

Hope you rectify the problem with the bandaging - maybe try a different type of bandage like the felt type of bandaging as the gamgee may be making her leg too hot.

 

[L&B]

As you say 'legs' I am presuming more than the check ligament leg is swelling up.

I would say its one of three things

1) the bandages are on too tight
2) the legs are swelling due to the lack of exercise (which can't be helped)
3)the injury is worse than suspected.

Presumably if you can rule out number 1 (you say you are a 'pro' bandaging) and you can rule out number 3 as the scan revealed there wasn't that much damage then I think you can safely say its number 2 that's too blame.

Hope you rectify the problem with the bandaging - maybe try a different type of bandage like the felt type of bandaging as the gamgee may be making her leg too hot.

No, not more than the injured leg - just the injured leg is swelling. Both legs are wrapped. Always wrap in pairs? I suppose I'm old school...

By the laws of reasoning, I suppose I could agree with you stood around with no bandages for support would make sense as to why her legs are filling...
Hohum...

 

[Pasha]

My vet told me 3-4 months when he first did it which was swiftly changed to 12-18 months after the scan which discovered the DDFT and SDFT injuries! But like you say, each horse is completely different and my horse's check ligament injury was minor.

To be fair, when it was just the check ligament, there wasn't much swelling and I didn't bandage as it was warm (April/May). His leg then blew up and was hot, which was the new injuries. This was after we had done a month in the box though and started walking. That was when I had to start cold hosing, bandaging and he went onto Danillon.

Both his front legs swell equally and in the same areas. I have had the vet check them and it is purely due to the fact he is standing around. As soon as we walk they go down and when bandaged they stay down.

I use Eskadron bandage liners and fleece bandages. I have treid magnetic boots and premier equine wraps but his legs still swell.

When he had ligament surgery in 2011 I sused bank on track boots which were fab, but they are expensive and he ripped them really easily, so I think i am going to stick with the bandages.

P.S. for any sores/scabs I've found Sudocrem to be the best. (Aloe Vera gel seems to stick to the bandage liners).