filled back leg

FabioandFreddy

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Had a bit of a knightmare couple of days with the horses. OH's horse Raz came in hopping lame last night - was his front right leg, wouldn't weight bear on it. Brought him in, hosed it off - no obviuos sign of injury, no heat, no swelling. My initial thought was an abcess brewing. Rung the vet and she advised us to double bute and keep in over night and obviously call back this morning if no change. Brought Fabio in overnight too to keep Raz company - they're both normally out all the time bar a couple of hours whilst having dinner and being exercised. Anyway, went to check this morning and Raz was weight bearing and fine in walk, just slightly short in trot but not lame perse. So a lot better than yesterday. He is very sensitive with his feet anyway and can be quite dramatic so he could have just stepped on something or pulled something. Vet advised to still keep in on bute until the weekend so we will do. Had took them both in the school for a leg stretch this morning and went to do the same tonight and noticed one of Fab's hinds was filled. Checked his legs over and he does have a scab on the back of his fetlock from where he pulled a back shoe last week, so not a new cut. I walked him off but have turned him back out tonight - i don't like stabling him anyway as it makes his shivers worse but am now worried about his leg having filled. Obviously if its not gone down by the morning then i'll call the vet, but is it likely its just because he's baeen in 24 hours when he isn't normally? I'm more bothered as it was one hind more filled than the other. But as the cut was from last week and had no issues with it until now it wouldn't be lymphangitis or cellulitis would it? I'm sure i'm overreacting - i have a tendency to! and will see how he is in the morning. Raz is fine in on his own and has a treat ball to keep him occupied which he's obviously had in the past as he knew straight away what to do with it!
Oh and to top it all off the dogs chewed part of his padder off (he's a bit special) so is now limping too!!! Blooming animals!
 
The tiniest cut can cause a leg to fill when stood in, even if it is not actually infected the circulation can be affected while the healing process is ongoing, it is likely to go down overnight walking round the field, if not then think again as it may be infected.
The other one may have an abscess brewing and by giving bute it could be suppressed then blow up again or it may just have been a stone that he stood on caused him to be so lame, either way I would not keeping him in on bute until the weekend, I would get the farrier or more likely turn out and see how it goes, if there was heat anywhere in the leg I may play safe but not in this case.
 
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