Help/Advice gratefully received!

[FrankieBoy]

Hi all, Went out for the day on a hound exercise with the bloodhounds, and my mare finished sound, however the next day she was lame and her near fore was swollen ever so slightly around the fetlock, she also looked a bit windgally around her hind legs. I cold hosed and bandaged all 4 legs over night for the next few days and all swelling disappeared. I put it down to maybe her joints letting her down a bit and decided I would bandage straight away next time she did anything streneous to see if this would prevent the swelling. She remained sound for the next week or so and all seemed fine.

I took her on a sponsered ride on Sunday and again she finished sound, I bandaged straight after but the same thing has happened to that front leg. The swelling is more prominent now, from the knee all the way down, it is a squishy kind of swelling rather than hard, I have box rested her with support boots and bandages over night and am cold hosing frequently but there is still heat coming from her leg, which is worrying me A LOT! I'm worried she might have torn something? The vet is coming out after work this evening but I just wondered what your thoughts on it are? Im very out of my comfort zone here (Incase you cant tell) and am worried that I could be doing more to help her?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Jen

 

[AmyMay]

Tendon, is my first thought. And glad the vet is comming.

 

[FrankieBoy]

Yeah, that was mine too
Is there anything else I can be doing to help her until the vet comes?

 

[AmyMay]

Cold hosing and stabled until the vet comes. No medication.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[FrankieBoy]

Ok, Will do.
Thanks x

 

[JenHunt]

ditto amymay... hope she's ok! fingers crossed for you.

 

[Birker2020]

You are wasting your time coldhosing. Make some ice cups with water frozen in polystyrene cups, put the open end on the leg but keep it moving in a circular motion to prevent freeze burns. As you get down the cup just peel the polystyrene off. This is much colder than hosing, especially in the warmer weather.

 

[paulineh]

Be careful about putting very cold ice onto warm swollen tendons. You can do more damage than good.

It has been known for a tendon to snap if becoming to cold to quickly.

Cool boots are better, they take the heat out without cooling the tendon too quickly.

 

[Sanolly]

You can make good ice packs out of water and vodka (!) take a sealable freezer bag (the type with the zip across the top) mix 50% water and 50% vodka and freeze, will be cold but pliable.

 

[Birker2020]

You can make good ice packs out of water and vodka (!) take a sealable freezer bag (the type with the zip across the top) mix 50% water and 50% vodka and freeze, will be cold but pliable.

Ooh thats a good idea. And when you have finished with it you can drink up!