Horse has filled hind legs, ideas and what to do?

charlie76

charlie76

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Two days ago my horse came out of the stable with a small swelling on the front of his fetlock, thought he had bumped it so after poking it and getting no reaction I carried on as normal, hacked out, in walk, it was gone when I got back. Yesterday, his leg is big all over, the other one is slightly filled. Trotted him up, he was sound so rode him , he was normal, in fact pretty forward, again, it went down following work. I bandaged him over night but this morning they were still big, his hocks are also a bit filled too ( I have read since I got home that this is common when bandaging filled legs and in fact you shouldn't bandage them, I have bandaged again tonight so expect fat hocks tomorrow as well )
Again, he seemed sound so hacked him again and they went down, not totally but much improved, put him in the stable and they were fat again tonight so I am a bit worried. I have given him bute tonight to see of that helps.
Until today he has had daily turn out. I did wash his legs with warm water instead of the usual cold a few days ago so wonder if its a reaction to that? I rinsed with cold water.
Feed wise he is on comp mix, hi fi, beet and oats twice a day and good quality hay .
We have had a new batch of hay and he has had slightly loose droppings as well which may or may not be connected.
He is eating as usual, happy and bright, sound and bright to ride.
Any ideas? If no better by weds I will get the vet for him.
Planning on hacking him Tom am and lunging him in the afternoon to get him moving as the fields are very wet.
 
Is one still bigger than the other?

From the start of the description I'd say ceullulitis but mild. Was there a scab on the swelling on the fetlock?
 
If nothing else has changed in terms of diet etc (they can blow up with as little as a change of hay / haylage which happens to have higher sugars, for example) they can sometimes fill as a result of a virus / bacterial condition ie like a cold. In this case they usually go down after a couple of days, or with a couple of doses of noridine & danilon. If you suspect anything even faintly lymphangitis-like I'd get moving sharpish on the vet.
 
Press the swelling...if it holds the imprint of your thumb then it is most likely lymphangitis. There doesn't need to be a scab on his leg...any tiny scratch that you can't even see can bring it about.
 
Mine had all four filled legs. Put her on a week of Norodine and bandaged. She is still bandaged every night on all four legs.

Have heard that with the weather being so mild a so wet, it causes the bacteria to grow and legs become infected. Think it is weather related.

As others have said watch out for Lymphangitis and cellulitus.

I don't wash off her legs at all. I spray mud guard on and brush off the next day. Water/ hosing can cause further problems. There are arguments for hosing and arguments against, likewise with bandaging. However, mine has been fine since no hosing and bandaging nightly.
 
Something similar happened to PF once. She came out of her stable with one fore swollen. I was pretty cross at her groom for not noticing. Then a hind. Then both hinds... I started bandaging but it just stopped after a few days. I put it down to something different in her hay/alfalfa but it's never happened again (then again, she lives out now ;) )
 
has he been ridden less than normal?
i'd reduce protein/starch levels in the diet (ie can you cut out the comp mix/oats for a few days and add in more fibre calories ie increase the beet?) and get him moving as much as possible
if the legs start to get tender to touch then call a vet
 
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