Help please? Fat leg 3 months post PSD. 2 vets saying different things

lensmith7

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I'll try to keep this short.

Josie had PSD surgery 3 months ago. She's been doing well and sound throughout.

Vet came on Monday for 3 month scan, scan was fab, showed healing extremely well, trotted up, sound horse.

Vet says get on start riding, and no more bandages let the skin recover a bit.

I put her out that afternoon in her little paddock. 2 hours later she went mental. Bucking rearing screaming spinning, you name name it, the cow did it.

She came in and trotted up sound, once I'd stopped shaking.

Since then however, the leg has been swelling when stabled, remember I'm not bandaging anymore.

Instructor saw it at a 'fat' momnet today and said to call vet. Said inside leg was swollen, slight heat and there's a moveable lump 2-3in above felock joint.

My vet is ill, but said call emergency vet who will come out and then he'll scan on Monday when he can get to me. Cue me in tears.

Emergency vet calls, I tell him the syptoms. He said dont worry he wont even come out! He said the lump is a vein which will have greater circulation due to not being bandaged for first time in 4 months. Greater circulation will mean fat vein=a swollen looking inside leg=heat because of cirulation settling. Does that make sense?

I dont know which vet to believe. Mine was all for scanning, other said dont waste my money.

Does anyone have an experiences like this? What would you all do?

Sorry it's turned out long. Cookies to anyone still here x x

ETA it goes straight down with 5 mins cold hosing too??
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Firstly, don't panic.
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Is it only when stabled that her leg swells? Is it possible to leave her out?
 
well, dont forget that the swelling has to go somewhere when the bandage comes off
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does the swelling go when you walk her?

check for any bandage burns, my horse got one and it then got infected but a course of A/Bs soon cleared it up and swelling is gone now
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[ QUOTE ]
well, dont forget that the swelling has to go somewhere when the bandage comes off
smile.gif


does the swelling go when you walk her?

check for any bandage burns, my horse got one and it then got infected but a course of A/Bs soon cleared it up and swelling is gone now
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

It goes straight down with as little as 10 mons walk

She has had bandage burns, evil Mummy that i am, she a thin skinned arab and likes to cellulitis for fun so it seems, but that all cleared up now.
 
Don't panic Mr Mannerin' !!

if the swelling appears when she's stabled then I would suggest that it is because the leg is getting used to not being bandaged.
I would leave it over night and see if she's still sound in the morning, and if the swelling goes down with some more turnout.

she's bound to lark about if she's been on box rest - and of course it does mean that the leg isn't sore any more - which has to be a good thing!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Firstly, don't panic.
smile.gif


Is it only when stabled that her leg swells? Is it possible to leave her out?

[/ QUOTE ]

It seems so, although it does swell when she's out a bit, but she's only in a stable sized paddock. When i walk her out it goes right down.

She'll only stay out for 6 hours. gets bored and eats her paddock bare, pig!
 
Its easy to get bandage burns, or so my vet said
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swelling could just be from that
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Leave her out in the field overnight if possible, and then check leg in the morning
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Generally speaking if you can make an impact with the cold hosing then it is not something major.

Having had a horse with PSd I would keep on cold hosing all weekend. Wait until your vet is free on Monday and get him to come in and rescan.

The scan will give you the peace of mind that after the weekend you can keep going with the controlled exercise regime you are probably on.

Will keep fingers crossed for you.
 
Thanks all for your replies.

I called the emergency vet again this morning. He thinks she has simple odema (sp??) and not to panic. Stick her out for as long as she'll stay out. But not to ride
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It was meant to be my first day on today, at it's such a beautiufl day. I'm gutted.

My own vet may come out tomorrow to give me the all clear to get on.
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