Gutted - Tendon Injury

[hollibobs]

Thought I'd put a post on here and see if any of you knowledgable people can offer me any advise.

Was going to our first BE event this weekend at Richmond but arrived at yard last night and his right fore lower leg is swollen. His whole tendon area was swollen although not lame at all!!! Walked him out for 20 minutes and the swelling had gone down considerably but on running my hand down his leg could feel the heat and localised swelling on the inside of his leg below the knee. Someone has suggested could be his check ligament!!!!

Anyway tuned him out as normal last night and put some cooling clay on, brought him in this morning and its pretty much as it was last night - still heat there and swollen in same place but no obvious lameness. I have left him in his stable this morning as normal and will see how much more it has swollen tonight and, needless to say, will have to withdraw from Richmond

So any ideas?????? Was going to leave it a couple of days and see what happens but, having read through some previous posts on here about tendon injuries, I have to admit it dosn't look good.

 

[ihatework]

Keep him in, cold hose / ice and bandage.
Then get the vet up to scan.
Hope it's nothing too serious.

 

[TURBOBERT]

I agree with that advice. Vet might be able to identify problem without scanning and it could be trivial - treat it as serious though. Good luck

 

[Ash the arab]

Sorry if you don't like the sound of this, but it sounds exactly the same as Ash last year.
He damaged his check ligament and had the same symptons - again with no lameness, but a scan showed a large hole in his check ligament.
I hope yours is something less serious but i would go cautiously and get it checked out.
Fingers crossed for you!

 

[Chumsmum]

Similar thing happened to me last weekend though Chum was obviously lame at first but not lame next day. Vet came out Tues and gave me bute and will be back next week to scan. Same thoughts as you after reading previous posts on tendon injuries but trying to stay positive! Ditto cold hose/cool gel/rest but vet told me not bandage??
Fingers crossed for both of us.

Edited to say that vet has just called and said to wait 10 days after initial exam. before scanning. She now says a light pressure bandage would be okay and a short walk up and down the yard just to keep it moving would be good for him.

 

[hollibobs]

Thanks for your replies, going to do as advised and keep him in from now on till vet has been and advised further. Will let you know when i find anything out - am keeping my fingers tightly crossed..

 

[H's mum]

If you can get him booked into a spa asap that will help reduce the swelling - the sooner you can get them into the spa's with injuries like that the better the prognosis - I believe Pananama Spas is the nearest to you? (failing that there's the Yorkshire Equine Clinic where H went)
Kate x

 

[lisan]

Oh Christine, what a nightmare. Everyone has given good advice I can't add to. Just keep us updated on poor Jethro's progress, and give him a big kiss from May xx

 

[hollibobs]

Funny you should say that, I have just been looking on the panama website about their Spa. I have called the vet and they are coming out tonight hopefully or tomorrow! Once I have spoken to them I will definatly take him to Panama for some treatment, its only about half an hours drive away

 

[hollibobs]

Thanks Lisa, will do x

 

[H's mum]

Great minds think alike!

let us know how you get along!
Kate x

 

[henryhorn]

After our experience with Jonty I wish I'd spa'd her right away.
if you read the info on spa treatments it shows the sooner you get it done, the better chance of healing starting.
I was amazed at how horses with mud fever, cuts etc all responded to using the spa at the dressage yard, and wouldn't hesitate to use it again.
The other thing if it is a soft tissue injury is that machine Freshman recommended Zar something or other, that sounded very good.
Fingers crossed this is just a knock but I am now very careful when I see swellings on legs....

 

[hollibobs]

Well vet came last night as he is 99% sure he has just knocked himself. Trotted him up and he is completly sound but the swelling round the tendon is painful to the touch.
He dosn't think it's his check ligament but to be on the safe side he's advised to keep him in for the time being, lots of cold hosing and to walk him out in hand and also he's allowed to be let out in the sand paddock/lunging pen for 30 minutes (provided he dosn't start running around). He is on bute and some anti inflamatories til Sunday then, by Monday, he thinks it should be back to normal (if not I have to ring back to arrange scans).
I can't tell you how relieved I am!! Been up this morning and let him in lunging pen out while I mucked out then had 5 minutes with the massager on his leg, swelling has gone down already.
Thanks to everyone for your advise yesterday, I really appreciate it and I'm just so happy it's not what I feared it might have been.
Christine x

 

[TURBOBERT]

Phew! But you did absolutely the right thing - well worth the vet's call out fee........