How quickly can a minor cut progress to cellulitis/lymphangitis?

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izzy25

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How quickly could a scrape/ minor cut turn into cellulitis / lymphangitis?

On Saturday I noticed some scrapes and some minor cuts mainly on the inside of my mares right hind leg around the hock area. I learned that the geldings from the next field had broken in to my field the day before after I had checked on my mare. I strongly suspect the scrapes were caused by one of the geldings humping my mare (she can be a but frisky!) as there was also marks on her hind quarters. The scrapes looked superficial and had dried over and because of this I did not bathe them as I did not want to interfere with them seeing as they looked like they were not septic and had dried/scabbed over nicely. I did not want to introduce infection so all I did was use some purple spray. Also by my calculation the incident which caused the scrapes could have happened anything up to 24 hours previously as I always check on my horse in the morning around the same time each day. I have no idea what time the geldings had broken into my field.

On the Sunday the leg looked ok and not swollen at all so looked like there was nothing to worry about and she didn't look visibly lame. On the Monday the person I share my field with checked the horses. I went to the stables today (Tuesday) and my mares leg is swollen inside the hock and she is visibly lame but by no means hopping lame and is weight bearing. One of the girls up the yard said that she had seen my horse galloping about the field yesterday so I am unsure if this swelling is related to the cuts or if she has sprained her hock by running around or possibly falling and bruising the bone on the inside the hock...her hock looks swollen and her fetlock / lower cannon also slightly swollen which could be a result of either running around OR the onset of lymphangitis or cellulitis. The scrapes/ cuts mentioned before still do not look infected... I am kicking myself that I didn't check on her myself yesterday (Monday) as I don't know if her leg was swollen yesterday or not!

I guess my main question is how quickly will cellulitis or lymphangitis take to set in? Is it a really quick process that may only take a day or two or can it take hold a few days after the original injury? Even if my horses leg was swollen yesterday it would have still been around up to 72 hours after the minor cuts/ scrapes incident occurred.

If the swelling has gotten worse tomorrow I will be calling the vet out. If it hasn't is this a sign that it isn't cellulitis/ lymphangitis and more likely a hock injury?

P.s my mare is in late 20's and retired.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
My mare developed lymphangitis from pastern dermatitis. She had been seen by a vet and treated. No lameness or swelling until one Sunday. Fine in the morning but limb swollen and lame by afternoon. Ring the vet who gave me a phone prescription, as he'd seen her recently, so I could start treating the leg straight away. Recovery was straight forward and hasn't returned in the 3 years since.
It's worth checking her in the morning so you can get the vet to take a look if needed.
 
How long was the period between your horse being treated for the pastern dermatitis and lymphangitis setting in?

Will definitely be checking my mare in the morning again. If it is cellulitis or lymphangitis will the whole leg have ballooned or will swelling still be localised to mainly hock area? How was the swelling with your horse? Thanks for your reply :)
 
Can't remeber exactly but it must have been over a couple of weeks. The scabs are so stubborn to get rid of, but her legs had been fine until the left hind blew up over the course of a few hours.
 
My mare developed cellulitis within 24 hrs of having a tiny superficial cut. If I were you OP I wouldn't mess about with any swelling around the hock - I would get the vet out today. Good luck
 
Moomin1 said:
My mare developed cellulitis within 24 hrs of having a tiny superficial cut. If I were you OP I wouldn't mess about with any swelling around the hock - I would get the vet out today. Good luck
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I agree - overnight in many cases is the norm. Vet treat it as an emergency so don't wait to call them out.
 
Thanks for all the replies! Swelling had gone down a bit yesterday so definitely thinking joint capsule related injury, which today seems even less swollen and not as lame. Thank goodness not cellulitis or lymphangitis! I think I overreacted and freaked out after researching about them as my mare was swollen around the hock. Glad in a way I know more about these horrible diseases though as will know to look out for it in future!
 
izzy25 said:
Thanks for all the replies! Swelling had gone down a bit yesterday so definitely thinking joint capsule related injury, which today seems even less swollen and not as lame. Thank goodness not cellulitis or lymphangitis! I think I overreacted and freaked out after researching about them as my mare was swollen around the hock. Glad in a way I know more about these horrible diseases though as will know to look out for it in future!
Click to expand...

If you suspect it's a joint capsule related injury I would still be getting the vet out ASAP. Tbh, any swelling around a joint I would be having a vet out.
 
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