HELP NEEDED PLEASE suspected ligament damage?!

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DollyDavies

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Hi All, I have a 17 year old TB ex racer who has been pin fired. I have had him 8 years so I know this boy inside and out.
Last week we were out having a fast canter, I felt he had done something and we pulled up almost bunny hopping to a halt then walked him home and he wasn't completely lame neither was he sound. I thought he had just pulled something/ sprained it so when we got home I checked all his legs and there were no signs of swelling or heat so I put him out. 2 days later I brought him in and schooled him, as soon as we went into trot with his near fore on the outside of the circle he was nodding lame, I instantly got off and checked his leg and he had swelling and heat on his front left leg below his knee but at the back. I cold hosed, used cool gel, a sachet of bute and left him in (Bare in mind, his legs swell up like balloons over night anyway and have done for 8 years and yes I know about wraps and bandages and rubber matting etc) I came up the next morning and still swelling and heat, I kept him in on box rest with in hand walking and grass twice daily with bute am and pm for 2 days, I then popped him in the school to see how sound he was and low and behold he wasn't nodding lame (neither was he sound though) but hey I thought there was an improvement. I then thought to be on the safe side I would take him off the bute to makesure it wasn't masking any problems! The day after his leg and swelled up with heat again. So I bandaged through the day and left off at night and kept him off the bute. Today I have been up and he has had a nose bleed through the night (out of one nostril) and he has sweated up at some point as he had sweat marks and his leg is still swollen and warm. Now I know what you will probably say, leave him in longer or call the vet and have it scanned but could I have some advice to the following... should he go out at all during the day with his leg strapped up (hes not a silly boy at all, could be partial to a trot round but not much more!) would the exercise do it any good? What do you think to the nose bleed and sweating (hes had 2 nose bleeds in 8 years, 1 when we were competing and the other in his stable), he is keen for his food but seems down in himself (i think hes feeling subdude due to being stuck in) any ideas for boosting morale? What you all think could be the problems... sprained ligament, tendon, check ligament?! And how you would treat it. Thanks so much in advance, hope I left enough info!
 
To be honest, no amount of info would be enough, even if I were a vet. You do need to call one out. You have tried to do it yourself, we all do that to one degree or another, but he needs medical intervention so regardless of what others may say on here or from other sources, i would only take the advice of your own vet, after they have been out and assessed the horse.

You clearly love him and want the best for him, so I hope the vet can get to the bottom of it for you and quickly. Really, i would be getting him seen today.
 
Nosebleed could be a reaction to the bute. But would have expected it sooner to be honest. I think you need to get the vet out here. The reduction in lameness initially was most likely down to the bute. Strapping up one leg to put him out is not advisable. As to what the problem could be....how long is a piece of string? Get the vet
 
I think you really need to get the vet to him today. You've given it a little time - you need an expert opinion now. Even if you think it is a suspensory ligament it might not be.
 
With any suspected tendon or ligament damage a scan is the only way forward so you can see the extent of damage, without having one done no one will be able to tell you what is wrong and without knowing what it is you cant treat it, there are many treatment available now even for some serious injuries, I would not leave this kind of injury to just guess work as it can be serious, take it from me I have tried to get my mare sound from a deep digital tendon flexor injury for almost two years, and its hard work and thats with knowing whats going unfortunately she keeps re injuring it and then it mend with scar tissue, so she has periods of being sound and then when it goes again she is not, if this keeps happening you are limited to much of the treatments out there so she more than likely now will never be sound enough for riding, so I would urge you to get to the bottom of the problem as finding and treating early can make all the difference to the outcome and ending up with a horse that is only pasture sound.
 
You need to get your vet out to do a full lameness workup (including nerve blocking if necessary) and then scan/x-ray as appropriate . . . it's really the only way to get to the bottom of what you're describing.

Wishing you the best of luck - please let us know how you get on.

P
 
if it is an infection the sweating would be explained and if not treated could lead to serious life threatening complications, stop messing about and get the vet-you may not need a full work up as described if the vet is sure what is causing the problem then you can treat conservatively and bandage cold hose and box rest but infection does need to be ruled out.
scans are not compulsory they just give an indicator as to how long a horse is likely to be out of action personally I am happy to observe clinical signs as we go along where appropriate
 
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