My Horse Got Stuck in a Metal Gate and Now Has a Fat Leg!

[*Spider*]

My poor poor horse, as soon as he starts going nicely, he gets another injury.
To cut a long story short, I found my horse with his two front legs through a fallen gate in his field.
Not sure how the gate fell, or how long he'd been there infact. But I'm guessing a while as there was a poo by him and he had paint marks on his hind hooves, indicating that he'd put his hinds through too.
His off fore was quickly free'd but then it took us a while to free his near fore.
Both were swollen, but later that day his off fore is completely normal, no heat etc. but his left fore is very swollen and has a lot of heat, especially around the outside are of his fetlock. It's painful to prod but he's happy grazing in the field.
I'm going through a regime of cold hosing and am off later to a saddlery to buy some Ice Tight.
Anything else I can do? If problem persisits I will call my brilliant vet on Monday for painkillers and anti-inflamms and if problem still persisits, diagnostics to see if he's done any damage to his tendons.

I'm getting a lot of people tell me he'll be fine in a few days, but I'm awfully worried about him, some are telling me to still ride him, but I really don't want to! I've just left him out to walk down the swelling, but would you guys say it's better to bandage him and walk him out?

Very worried horsey mummy

 

[ester]

when was this? I'm somewhat surprised that you haven't had the vet out already tbh, at least to provide bute if the horse is sore and swollen.

I certainly wouldn't be riding him until he has been given the ok by a vet after such an experience.

 

[*Spider*]

Thanks for replying Ester.
Yesterday lunchtime. Suggestion was that it was swelling from just getting caught, and to leave it unless it persists. As I've said before, his off fore has settled back to normal nicely, and his off fore remaining swollen. It would be foolish to bute him up to the eyeballs so early as this could mask any pain which would indicate something is wrong, thus thinking he's sound, riding him for the problem to become a lot worse.
I'm glad that you atleast agree that I shouldn't be riding him, as you could see from my post I was not going to do that anyway, I'm not that selfish or stupid!
If you're advice is to call the vet for diagnostics one day after it happened, I'll happily call my vet on his mobile number, I'm pretty much a regular to him, after a long going hock injury.

 

[oscarwild]

I would cold hose leg 3 times daily and contact vet for advice to see if they need to visit or give Bute etc. I wouldn't ride him until I know he is fine.

 

[oscarwild]

Stupid phone wasn't finished. Lol. And I hope he back to normal soon with no real injury.

 

[Nicnac]

He isn't a TB by any chance is he?

If he's not lame, I'd carry on the cold hosing and leaving him walk around on it.

If very swollen and hot, I'd call the vet pronto.

For my TB's injury (in Veterinary) I have been treating it through the vet but via email as vet's away. I think my vet supplies cabinet rivals my vets anyway

Hope he gets better very soon!

 

[amage]

Vet!!! If horse was there for a while and struggling he is liable to be stiff and sore all over and should be checked over to be sure.

 

[ester]

we'll have to disagree on the bute situation I'm afraid I would certainly have spoken to my vet on Friday to ask what they thought best to do. If he really has done something serious it isn't likely to cover it up so much that the vet is unable to diagnose. Vet won't be able to scan anything until the swelling goes down anyway but to deny the horse any pain relief until then (because you might then think he is fine and sound and ride him even though you know he has had an accident and bute.... ) just doesn't seem fair to me unless the vet has specifically advised not to give it.

If you are happy to wait and hose until monday I would carry on and then if he was mine it would be a vet job to see what he recommends as I imagine he is likely sore elsewhere too and might need some physio etc depending on the result with the swollen leg.

do hope he feels better soon.

 

[*Spider*]

He's a TB X ID.
Am cold hosing 3x times a day and have just finished our second session. Swelling has reduced significantly already and only slight heat.
Yes, we are going to have to agree to disagree I'm afraid, and I will stand by that. He's not lame and it's not an emergency. He's perfectly happy grooming his friends, grazing in the field. If problem then persists, of course I will not 'deny' him of pain relief, but to be perfectly honest, I am sure it will not come to that. I would not be stupid enough to put up a situation in which my horse needed urgent veterinary attention. I was merely stating subsequent protocols which would be in place if anything was still niggling.

Although this horse isn't a TB, he should certainly be on the TB injury hotline. Let me reassure you, when he obtained his kick injury, vet was around within 30 mins to administer painkillers, anti-biotics etc. and which was on an emergency call out. I don't want you to think I'm reluctant of that, as his needs come first, not money. Even when he twisted a shoe, I requested an emergency call out yet again of the vet who told me they would be of little help in such a situation, the farrier would be first port of call (I had already pulled the shoe off), and to call them if problem persists.
My vet informed me that if I were to bute him, this could mask an abscess. You'll be glad to hear he recovered very quickly to this, even though he was a very grumpy git being poulticed one to two times a day and on box rest.
Sometimes buting them can mask something, and I stand by that. Bute should never be the first response to everything unless of course it's serious where without fail it would be first port of call, but not something like this.
I really hope you are understanding where I'm coming from, and I will not let down my horse, not ever.
I came on here to ask whether it was best to leave in, bandage and have controlled walk outs with cold hosing or to leave out and cold hose.
Yes, as I am a worrier, you scared me into thinking he needed the vet. Will teach me not to ask managerial questions on here again and just pester my vet more often. I only asked on this forum due to its wealth of knowledge of experience.
Anywho, thanks for your concern, vet is fully aware and happy with what I'm doing and thankyou for wishing him a speedy recovery, I really appreciate it

 

[ester]

I didn't realise he wasn't at all lame on it, def sounds too resilient to join the TB hotline yet .

The thing with the internet is that people can only say what they would do in a similar situation, while not being able to see the situation for themselves. Even phonecalls do this... I ended up encouraging my mum over the phone to get a vet out for what turned out to be a corn but by the info I had the horse had hacked out fine and come back not proper weight bearing .

Just a small note to add re. the use of bute, there is a specific reason for not using it with a hoof abscess, similar to why antibiotics are contra indicated ... it can delay the development and swelling that you need to happen for it to burst.

 

[putasocinit]

I would cold hose and bandage, bandaging would reduce filling, support if there was any structural or ligament damage until vet came out, I would not bute unless lame but you would have called the vet by then anyway, hope all is okay and it is only tissue damage from being stuck.

I worry my cob puts his foot on the bottom bar of the gate to get my attention, keep praying it doesn't slip through, he does get told off and dissuaded.

 

[glenruby]

Sorry to disagree with you spider but , while I agree that what you describe is not an emergency, it is DEFINITELY an injury that warrants bute. Bute is an anti inflammatory and your horse has an inflamed distal limb. 1-2 sachets of bute will not mask much in the way of pain. Your scenario is a perfect situation for using bute.

 

[ribbons]

Started reading this and thought I'd post that bute is not just a painkiller but a very good anti inflammatory, just what was needed here I think. Then got to last post and saw glenruby had done just that. Personally I would have given him bute even if I didn't think vet was an urgent requirement. Hope he's recovering quickly. They do seem to find anything and everything to hurt themselves on don't they.

 

[SusieT]

Why did you not at least ring your vet to ask their advice?