hock infection - how bad?

[only_me]

hi,
my horse has a huge swelling in front of the hock, which the vet thinks is an infection, (sooo glad that it wasnt ligament which was what we first thought) so he is boosted full of antibiotics at the minute. i *think* that i can feel a thorn, but dont really want to poke around much as it is sore and he is quite lame and picking his hind leg up weirdly.
how long do you think he will be off for? vet said about a month, but imo i think a week - just my view of things though. what do you think?

 

[zelli]

If you can feel a thorn within the hock joint then I would imagine you would be looking at nearer a month, as punctures within joints can take a long time to heal, due to complications that can occur.

 

[aran]

If it is an infection in the joint then you are in trouble. the joint needs to be flushed asap and the horse needs to be given strong antibiotics - oral are not usually strong enough to resolve joint infection. It can take months to full resolve.

If the joint is not involved then once the infection is controlled the pain should reduce and the horse become less lame. the time would depend on the extent and location of the infection and how your horse deals with pain.

Hopefully the swelling will push out the thorn - a warm compress would help (but be careful is the joint is involved).

 

[_jetset_]

From what you have said in the opening post I would suspect this is just localised infection around the thorn... as opposed to being in the actual hock joint itself. I would think a good course of oral antibiotics should clear this up quite clickly, and some sort of poultice would certainly help draw the thorn out which would then help bring down the swelling.

 

[Paddywhack]

Agree totally with above,but if it is foreign body in there i am a bit confused why the vet has not tried to remove it,i am sure he must have had good feel around there ????
when is the vet having another look ?
1 month with a problem like that does sound about right if there is an infection and if the joint is involved its much more serious and it will need flushing (Been there,done that and got the t-shirt to prove it)

 

[only_me]

its not in the actual joint, it is just infront and at the side of the joint. vet was back up today to give him another go with antibiotics, so hopefully that will help him more. swelling has gone down since yesterday, and there is hardly any heat in his leg today.

i think it is a localised infection; it is only swollen around the inside at the front (near where i suspect the thorn is) and he is not walking weirdly as yesterday. also forgot to mention that he had a temp of 1`c above, which is also why the vet thought that it was an infection.

vet didnt mention any flushing at all, so i assume that he also thinks that it is localised? he said that i had 2 options, course of antibiotics, or a poke around with a needle to get the pus out, which isnt always successful. went with the antibiotics, and they seem to be working along with the cold hosing.

how can you tell if it is a joint infection (actually in it)?

 

[GTs]

[ QUOTE ]
how can you tell if it is a joint infection (actually in it)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Your horse will be none weight bearing on that limb -

 

[only_me]

ah then its not that - he is happily resting the other one with full weight on the injured leg! he even rolls and gets up normally with his sore leg. and he as he can walk more normally now, i assume that the pain is going!

thanks for advice guys!