Ideas On Dermot.

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Forget_Me_Not

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To cut long story short Dermot came in yesterday with HUGE swallon legs, not swallon in same places and to different degress. One the hinds is the worest. They are warm, not painful and he isn't really lame. I went to pycombe so Sara turned him out Sunday morning, she always checks there legs in the morning *from racing backround* so he was definatly fine when he went out. Having looked at the box there not tell-tell signs of cast on the walls or by state of his bed and himself. I have checked the field and doesn't look hes done it out there, even so before we moved yard he used to ragularly *daily* go mad in muddy fields and never got damage like this. There were a cuple of tiny scabs on his legs but they could of been old. He was lighty schooled the night before and if it was because of ridden work I would of thought they'd swell in the night. Since hes been at this yard hes gone from good greedy dooer to fussy underweight. Hes back and whither is pretty pronanced and tummy tight kind of like always tuckup for weeks. Vey didn't shed light only bute made no difference and its not a bone/muscle thing. His temperment since moving is a little to un interested and sometimes lathagic. Anybody got any ideas? I thought maybe his body isn't agreeing with something in his diet? At the moment hes banaged, hosed for 40min this morning, *moved into a box in barn were some other in to keep him company* Will take him for walkies this afternoon and hose again for 40min before bandaging.
 
how much turnout does he have a day? a horse at our yard keeps swelling up as they only get 3 hours a day turnout at our yard. suits ty better but obviously not for all horses.
 
To be honest, I'd get a vet out to check him over. It seems as if there are a few things that have changed with him lately so there could be a underlying reason for this, best to be safe than sorry
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Hope you find out the problem;
 
If his legs are really very swollen, warm and he doesn't seem himself I think I would be calling the vet as he may have an infection and require antibiotics. Have you taken his temp?
 
Call the vet, his personality seems to have taken a drastic change, he is off the food, his temp isn't exactly normal so call the vet to have him checked over aswell as his legs.
 
ops... was ment to say temperment he hasn't got a temperture, pulse reps normal. I just thought i'd add hes temperment is very ralex, maybe a little to relaxed? He gets say 8ish hours turnout on very good pasture? Vet shed no light, will get a different one out if legs don't de-baloon. Its not uncommond for horses legs to swell its just I can't think why his did, then I thought about other things that worry me and thought maybe its a diet thing?
 
True its not uncommon for legs to swell but there is always an under-lying reason; I got the impression that this was not a common occurance
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ans then together with the other things you have mentioned.....

I would not be happy if it was my horse and I would be looking for anwsers, just my opinion though;
 
If the vet has seen him and given him the all clear, then yes I'd be inclined to look at what he's eating - which presumably vet would have discussed with you allready.

However, spring grass would be my best guess. Can you move him on to a field with less grass?
 
Would there be anything on the land that isn't agreeing with him, plants, pesticide or even flies? Just a thought..
 
Not very good at all but gives a bit of an idea. This is the worest leg...

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Guessing he's to young for windgalls? I no little about windgalls.

See hes proanced back?

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Just because hes cute!

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TBH I would be inclined to take him for a gental hack to get the blood going to see if his legs go down, look at his feed (including rich grass, might have to cut his protien) and go from there.

I would also not let him stand in his box, I am of the opinion that if they are sound and puffy they should keep moving.
 
FF, he gets hacked, schooled or lunged each day, this weekend he had friday off, I ligthly schooled him saturday, and of course didn't lunge when he came with legs up on sunday. He's feed baileys no.4 after third bag has made no difference to temperment or condition, soya oil like always, ad-lib hay but only eats about half hay net max and turned out for say 8ish hours in acras of decent pasture. I was thinking of keeping in for a week to see if the grass is upsetting him?
 
I would be inclined to mix the No. 4 with something like oats (panic not) to give him a little more wizz. If he is ridden daily and out he might just need a bit more in his died than an oil rich topline builder.

As for the legs I would say turn him out or hack him. If he is not lame then I would get the circulation going, then bandage again tonight.
 
High protein can cause leg swelling. Take him off no. 4 and leave him on hayledge, grass and chaff, and see if legs reduce. If so, put him on vit+min supplement and see how you get on. COuld be iron deficient?
 
I would be inclined to use more gamgee on his legs ... you do need to watch that the bandages may be too tight .


I would also be inclined to put him out and keep him moving with the swelling .

How long have you been with your vet ? Can you not get a 2nd opinion ?
 
What is the quality of your hay like? Are you rugging him up enough and are your bandages being applied correctly with even pressure - could he have picked up a virus in which case I would get the vet out again to take bloods and think about investing in some propell or red cell.
 
Mine did this the other week, warm swollen legs, no temperature and was fine in himself - spoke to my vet who advised a virus, to bute him for a couple of days (not unless your vet tells you to!) and walk work him for a week - has been fine since
 
I used to have a horse that always got stable leg and I stopped feeding her hard feed and she stopped getting stable leg. I would cut out his hard feed see if it makes a difference and if it does start slowly adding it back until you find out how much he can tolerate until his legs swell up again.
 
Thanxs for the ideas, have contacted baileys, but will see if taking hard feed out helps, replacing with oats? Walked him for 30min today and I don't think they reduced much maybe a little, so if it no improvment 2mo then will try vet, the thing is I don't know the vets well enough and last time got some unknowlegdeble prob recently quailfied guy which coz a bomb and made sod all difference....
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Ask people who go the practice which vet they would get out and then ask for them. Unless you ask they probably won't send out the specialist. Hope he gets better soon.
 
Don't give him oats they are hard feed.

Maybe a touch of lymphangitis , you may be able to reduce it by feeding a bran mash with some epsom salts in.
Feed only hay and water for a few days after that .
 
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