Herbie - kicked again

[burtie]

I finally agreed to let Herbie go out with another boy as this horses paddock was full of acorns and he's now been kicked again on the same leg he chipped his patella last year.

Anyway feeling miserable and need re-assurance, this time it is half way between the patella and hock and right on the outside of the leg, so no-where near the joint and on that big bone(tibia). The wound didn't even break the skin and he walked happily in from the field stiffly but fully using it.

after being in for 3 hours he was really stiff and could only just walk on it. The vet felt that it was unlikely to have fractured otherwise he's be crippled, so we gave him bute and by the next morning he was fully putting weight on it but still stiff.

Anyway a week down the line he is fully walking on it even tracking up, but it still clearly lame in trot and tight turns.

Please re-assure that this is probably just muscle damage and bone bruising and it will just take time to heal as right now I'm fairly depressed about the whole thing.

 

[Tierra]

Aaaw you poor thing

Im sure your vet would have done the necessary xrays if he / she thought there was a risk of a fracture and, in my opinion, IF horses do sustain fractures that go un-noticed initially, they tend not to stay that way for very long.

If he's taken a decent blow to the area, which it sounds like he has regardless of it not breaking the skin, its not surprising that he's still feeling it. As you already said, its no where near a joint so I suspect he's taken a pretty hefty bruise to the soft tissue round there and is feeling very achy. If you're in doubt at all, you should call your vet, even if its just to say "he's still lame.. do you consider this to be normal?"

Im no vet... but my gut feeling would be that if it was anything worse (and im talking fracturey worse), you would be aware of it by now even if it had been missed when the vet first saw him.

 

[henryhorn]

My guide to anything major is that firstly it swells more than you expected, and secondly the swelling doesn't go away, or the lameness improve. Star fractures tend to hurt like hell and swell badly, so I think what you've got is bruising which will take a while to subside.
I would expect it to be a full ten days to two weeks for the pain to disappear going on similar injuries here.
I always say to anyone, "It's an awfully long journey from conception to riding at four years...!" (and lots of injuries on the way)

 

[burtie]

Thanks to both of you, it is really not swollen much at all (if anything)and he is much improved today, although he is on 1 sachet bute morning and night finishing today.

He was apparently leaping about in the field this morning(even on his own in v.small flat turnout paddock!) My gut feel is bruising and the vet did say the bute wouldn't really touch it if was more serious. Normally I'm not be overly worried about it, but after last year I'm just a bit more paranoid!

The vet is due to see him again Tuesday anyway, so I guess as long as he doesn't get suddenly worse off the bute I'll try to think positive!

 

[Allykat]

Joe had a kick in the summer in the same area but on the inside of the leg. He did have a small wound but the amount of crippledness and swelling was phenomenal. It was just simple soft tissue damage and bruising. I kept him in on box rest until the wound healed and then he was left with a huge bump which remained tender to touch. He slowly became sound enough to ride around 3 weeks after the kick. We did stick to 20 min walks for a while longer and the remaining bump finally disappeared around september...some 4 months later!!

You may find that something like arnica gel will soothe the area. Its no quick fix but it really does help with severe bruising.

Hope he feeld better soon