Haematomas?

[exracergirl]

Any experience with Haematomas posted here would be very much appreciated - in particular how much/how quickly you can get them to reduce!

Horse removed a front shoe and wrapped it around a hind leg whilst in the field, and left a lump - vet confirmed a haematoma - on the inside of the hind leg. She is still totally sound, was even with three shoes on which for a poorly foot-ed TB is quite amazing...!

Vet has said a course of cold hosing and pressure bandaging, plus if at any point she goes unsound I take her into vet hospital. I havent gone down the route of ice packs as he specifically said the pressure bandage would be more useful than the ice, and a lumpy gel pack would reduce the efficacity of the bandage?

But what next? Is it likely to go down? (She is a great allrounder but last year was showing very successfully: might have to find another occupation that doenst require clean legs!)

Any advice or experience, much appreicated

(if I can figure out adding pictures they will be below, if not erm please use your imagination!!)

(please excuse the muddy front half, washing back leg was priority!)

Many thanks;

'Alchemist'
x

 

[paulineh]

A Haematoma means A hematoma, or haematoma, is a collection of blood outside the blood vessels,[1] generally the result of hemorrhage, or more specifically, internal bleeding.

This is like a bruise in a human. It will go down, giving Arnica is also very good and worth giving

 

[rubykiz]

hiya , kiz hade one afterthe trailer accident and we did nothing to hers , yes it was on her stifle so maybe it would have been hard to bandage ect but it has gone down within a week back to the hirmal size againg , so i think it will go down quite quick hopefully

 

[kellyeaton]

when my boy had a heamatoma i had to have it numbed tthen lanced and drained i had to flush it out for aweek and was on a course of ab,s cold hosing and arnica will help but i can not under stand why the vet has not done anything else!

 

[Sophiesmum]

My mare got one on her second thigh, and it was pretty huge! The vet came out and was reluctant to do anything to it as he felt the risk of infection wasn't worth it as she was perfectly happy. However, it took a long time to go down - by loing time I mean probably about 4 months before it had gone! It was very fluidy and you could move it around, but as it started to disperse it started to feel 'grainy' around the edges and they suddenly it just started to clear up. I was a little concerned as I couldn't imagine how itr could go but it did eventually. Good luck, in our case it was just a matter of time.

 

[TrueColours]

I always remembered what my favorite vet told me about hematoma's, as I got several to deal with over the years, from various horses I had owned ...

1. If you are a really good and conscientious horse owner, you will buy the best liniment money can buy and go out every hour and rub the liniment into the hematoma and it will dissipate in 4-6 weeks ...

2. If you are an "okay" horse owner, you will spit on it once a day, give it a pat, and it will dissipate in 4-6 weeks ...

3. And if you are a REALLY terrible and uncaring horse owner, you will ignore it totally and pretend it doesnt exist, and it will dissipate in 4-6 weeks ...

So - the moral of the story is do what you want with them, it will still take the same time to break apart and get re-absorbed back into the body ...

I have also never subscribed to draining them and no vets around here will do so either. It opens up the risk of infection for no earthly good reason at all. An abcess - TOTALLY different situation but a hematoma - just leave them alone ...

 

[Fairynuff]

I would let nature take her course and leave alone. Cold hosing will initially stop the seepage of blood but once its stopped there is little else to do but wait. A visit to the vet hospital seems a bit extreme to me but I suppose you cant be too carefull. Be patient

. Mairi.

 

[only_me]

my old pony had a heamatoma on his hindquarters from a kick

he was sound but he found it painful to jump so we just did hacking till it went; also had it lasered by the physio which meant that it went in a week or too.

usually movement helps, and the haematoma will go down by itself

 

[brighteyes]

Ours had one from a kick just behind his girth - we think he didi it to himself. It went away over the course of a few days and exercise was the only thing prescribed.

 

[exracergirl]

Thanks for all your advice!

Swelling has gone a little, horse is still totally sound (is that unheard of for a thoroughbred?!!) - if sound and happy for me to poke it what do you lot think to getting on and tootling around an arena?

 

[kerilli]

i'd just be careful she doesn't kick it when ridden. i'd prob put polo bandages or similar on. they do dissipate totally but it takes time.

 

[shellonabeach]

Having currently got a Haematoma on my own backside - friends cob mare decided to try and give me a bottom reduction when I bent over to do her surcingles up - the result was my whole butt cheek went black and I was left with a Haematoma (mid Nov).

My initial trip to the docs a week after resulted in my being told to go to A&E to have it drained (it felt the size of a tennis ball). Waited 2.5 hours in A&E and saw doc who said as it didn't hurt too much (ie I didn't hit the roof when he prodded it) his advice was to leave it. It is still here but shrinking approx golf ball size now - gave my work colleagues a good laugh at Xmas as my party dress showed off my lovely bump.

When it first happened it was very very hot and sometimes itchy so I think your mare will be appreciating the cold hosing. As others have said my GP recommended Arnica.

 

[SpeedDemon]

I'm taking a wild guess here that your a silver alchemist?!

Only dealt with small ones on horses. but going by my own experience from a fall I had a haematoma that covered over 1/4 of my back. i went to one of the best sports injury clinics in the country and they'd never seen one as big and I got to strip off and show it off to everyone there! That aside it was incredibly painful and only eased once they started draining it. Started with some kind of electromagnetic therapy to start with and ice packs, then added a pair of those very sexy strong support knickers to try and contain it!! (Best not to try and imagine that!) Ended up having it drained 3 or 4 times, which I wasn't keen on as I HATE needles but glad I had it done as it was the only thing which eased the pain and heat.

It was very strange having it. Other than being painful to move I could feel the blood and fluid ripple through it with any movement which was a strange sensation! It was also very hot. I assumed it felt itchy too as the skin was so stretched.

I think you're very lucky G isn't lame! definitely a first for a TB!