Fluid under skin on knee...

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zoon

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Ok, I know this should be in vets, but have posted in there and post has disappeared downt the list with no replies so thought I'd try in here.

12 weeks ago (approx) my horse came in with a swollen knee - 2 distinct lumps. One above knee that looks like swelling of the tendon sheath and one below this going across the knee itself. Vet says it is one single lump compressed across the centre by retinacular (sp?) band.

Horse is not lame in the slightest and has full range of movement/flexion. Swelling possibly reduced slightly with field rest, but definately comes up again if he has a mad moment in field. Box rest (1 week) doesn't help and with box rest his legs fill so badly I am very reluctant to try this long term.

Scan showed no tendon damage or swelling - appears to be simply a pocket of fluid under skin. Fluid sample was taken - a clear yellowy coloured fluid and sample has been sent off - waiting for results to show if there is some sort of inflammatory process occuring.

Have tried 8 days bute and treatment with compagel along with the field rest and this may have caused a slight reduction in the fluid.

He is completely unphased by any sort of manipulation of the knee or the swelling and not bothered about it being scanned or tapped.

Anyone come across something like this before and what was it and what was the treatment/course of action? I'm out fo the country for the next week so won't find out fluid test results until I return and it is driving me mad wondering whether I'll be able to work my horse again!
 
My old pony that i loaned had fluid on the knee, didn't affect her at all. I used to jump her (with vets go ahead) and used to do really well on her. I used to use a cooling gel on her knees after she was ridden or jumped. But all in all she was never lame with it or sorry.
 
Had a fab connemara jumping pony years ago who whacked her knee whilst we were doing xc. Her knee swelled up and never went down fully but had the vet out who recommended cooling gel and hosing but nothing else. There was no limitation of movement or lameness whatsoever and we continued to compete weekly.
 
That's good. I was hoping to get him fit over winter and start competing again next spring as he had a load of time off for a back issue. Just get him fixed and start slowly bringing him back into work and he gets a fat knee! I am not bothered about a blemish as he is not a show horse, just need to know it is not going to do him any harm.
 
my horse is known to whack his knees, also went down on them twice and often the knee bursa is filled with fluid. I got them scanned and xrayed for peace of mind and he actually has incredibly clean knees!
the swelling may or may not go away, in my case if he knocks them then they will come up massive but we gel and ice and hose after anything. the vet said we were looking at up to 6 months and he was right, only now we have smacked the other knee!
 
I just had a chat with Hannah and she jogged my memory. Her old event horse Fly always had a large knee and I had completely forgotten about it.

Exactly the same as yours. The vets thought it was most like to be a burst bursal - bit like a windgall but on the knee - never lame, or caused any problem at all but never went away either.
 
That's what Pete said it was - "a windgall on his knee". But since being around you I've become a worrier it seems and made him come back and scan it and tap the fluid! Hopefully back to work for the fuzzy one after my holiday then (warn Mr Worried I may be wanting regular lessons until I am too fat to mount/dismount!)
 
My eventer got it by banging her lead knee on showjumps. It never bothered her and she passed a five stage vetting when she was sold.
 
ok, am feeling better now. He had 3 days of light exercise to see how he went - just 15-20mins walk and trot and the swelling went up a little after that which worried me a bit. But id doesn't ever get huge, just goes from slight swelling to a bit more pronounced.
 
This is exactly the same as my mare has! there appears to be 3 seperate swellings on and above the knee, she doesn't seem in pain and isn't fussed by having her leg picked up, there isn't any heat in it and shes not lame but I am terrified that its a tendon or ligament injury!
The vet had a quick look at her on Tues when he was on the yard to look at another horse, he couldn't really have a proper but picked her leg up and said put her on a course of bute and cold hose which I have been doing but there doesn't appear to be any change.
The vet wants to drain the swelling on Monday, why would he want to drain it??
 
My post was in 2009 and my horse still has this swelling - never drained by vet and never got any better or worse, but also never affected him. Still in full work and competing. I would leave it - draining it carries a risk of infection
 
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