Filled legs

[Seahorse]

Axel normally gets filled legs when he's stabled overnight, but they go down with exercise and when he goes out.
He had fairly big legs on monday morning and I rode him in the school for about 3/4 hr. He was completely sound but kept going on the wrong leg in canter on the left rein (very unlike him) Didn't think anything about it at the time but when I finished riding him I noticed that the front left leg was still puffy.
I cold hosed it and put some cooling gel on and turned him out. He was out overnight and on tuesday morning his legs were still warm and puffy so I left him out and didn't ride.
He was out yesterday and this morning I checked on him and his legs are still slightly warm and puffy especially the front left.
I trotted him up and he's sound as anything but I'm still a bit worried.
Is it worth calling the vet? Or am I worrying over nothing?
I read that too much protein can cause filled legs, so I've changed from haylage to hay and they have just moved fields to one with loads of grass, would that have caused it?

Thanks guys

 

[1928sky]

I did have the vet out for this! Mine always gets filled legs when she is on high protein ryegrass haylage, but as I am liveried at a vet school all the senior staff there refused to believe it and apparently too high protein cannot cause filled legs and it is all a big myth! Had the vet out as her legs were so filled there was no definition of the tendons, he checked for soft tissue injury but there was no tenderness or lameness. Other cause could be a virus so he did all the usual checks of temperature, then listened to her heart and lungs and found nothing. She had a diuretic to get rid of the excess fluid and it seems to have settled. He said low protein diet(!), stable bandages and plenty of exercise/turnout. Changed her back to low protein timothy haylage and she has been fine. If both the legs are the same I wouldn't call the vet unless it got worse or went on much longer, however seen as you mentioned that one was more puffy and warm i'd probably be inclined to get someone out just to make sure it isn't a tendon or anything as this doesn't neccessarily make them lame.
hope this helps

 

[Seahorse]

thank you, it does help a lot.

I think I'll ring the vet and see what they say.

 

[miller]

Mine did this in the srping - didn't go down, temp and all vital signs normal, off his hard feed.

Rang vet who said it was most likely a virus, give him a bute morning and evening and turn out as much as possible, ride in slower paces till gone down.

He was right as rain after 4 days

 

[lizzieuk1]

usually i'd day its prob just the protein but since he is unhappy leading on the left leg i'd be a little more concerned plus as you say they leg stayed up. i think cold hose as often as possible and give him a few days off work, if there's swelling then there's something going on, obvioulsy not enough to cause lameness but still a problem in the soft tissue or joint. best to be cautious than keep riding and cause more damage

 

[dieseldog]

SJ_Sapphire, I used to have a mare that got terrible filled legs. I stopped feeding her hard food, she stopped getting filled legs. Completly agree with what you thought.

 

[Seahorse]

Well this evening I brought Axey in and his legs were fine, both of them down and cold!!
I cold hosed them and put stable bandages on him and have kept him in tonight, so will see in the morning.

Thanks
Sam x

 

[lizzieuk1]

well thats great news, lets hope it was just a blip and they'll be nice and sleek from now on!

 

[Seahorse]

Took the bandages off this morning, and his legs were lovely! The left front was a bit warm tho, all the rest were stone cold.
Trotted him up and he was sound

Went out for a little plod and when I came back his leg was fine, so put some cool gel on it and turned him out.

Horses eh!