Horse with three swollen fetlocks!

[thespanishmane]

TB lives out mostly. This morning his off hind fetlock was slightly swollen. Couldn't see anything at all & was quite happy & not at all lame. This evening both fore fetlocks were swollen too. I brought him in, hosed his legs & left him in tonight. Again no signs of lameness. In just wonder if he has been dashing round the field & slipped (there is a new horse in the field opposite)
Be interesting to see what he 's like in the morning.

Anyone else had this?

 

[Cortez]

Could it be incipient mud fever? What are you feeding him at the mo; could also be a reaction to higher protein feed.

 

[mynutmeg]

Check your ground as if he's in deep mud then that will be pulling and could be iritating the joints

 

[noblesteed]

some kind of oedema? (fluid retention) My friend's old tb x gets this occasionally.
Though a friend's youngster had swollen legs and she needed antibiotics - vet said an infection had got in and caused excess fluid - is it called lymphangitis?.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

some kind of oedema? (fluid retention) My friend's old tb x gets this occasionally.
Though a friend's youngster had swollen legs and she needed antibiotics - vet said an infection had got in and caused excess fluid - is it called lymphangitis?.

Yes, an infection getting in through even the smallest of pricks can cause lymphangitis or cellulitis.

OP, I'd double check in the morning & see how swollen they are (particularly if horse is not used to standing in overnight).
Check horses temperature & all other health signs too (eyes, gums, drinking etc).
If in any doubt, call vet.

Hopefully the swellings are down to horse being a loon as you mention above, but I'd be puzzled about it having 3 identical swollen fetlocks. Whereabouts is it swollen - eg: is this on the pastern, or just above fetlock at the base of the tendons or actually on the joint itself?

 

[MochaDun]

My pony got some sort of infection in his leg last week - I'm assuming from heel as has had mud fever and vet said possibly burrowing mites. One day just really stiff on it and really out of sorts in himself but leg had no heat or anything, by that evening you could see the leg was filling, by the next morning it was very full up to and including the hock. 5 days of antibiotics and painkillers to get it down. The mud fever scabs were negligible but just shows you what can get in through weakened skin.