Mystery Leg Swelling

MissPaddy

New User
Joined
6 June 2014
Messages
5
Visit site
Pony in question is a 14.2 Mare, Evented at 90/100cm this season.

Vet picked up on a small swelling in her front right leg, down the back of the tendon when she came to look at something else. It was fairly 'squidgy' and there was no heat. She diagnosed it as a tendon sheath strain and recommended a week off and a week of slow-ish work. We did so and no swelling so were given the all clear. We competed at our last BE100 of the season and put her up for sale, a few weeks later the swelling came up again.

It doesn't seem to be related to work load as nothing after she had completed a full ode?

The vet came out again, this time to do a scan. By time she came pony had had a few days off and there was no swelling. Vet recommended not scanning as nothing to see and a week off and a slow 4 week return to work.

She had a week off and 1 1/2 of walking on roads 6 days a week before starting trot work. We slowly increased it day by day and yesterday the swelling was back exactly as before.

She has been totally sound throughout and no change in performance, Vet is coming out on Monday to scan the leg but is at a loss to what it could be, I'm just curious if anyone else had any ideas or experienced anything like this? Even just reassurance would be great as I'm terrified its going to be something awful!
 
There can be significant damage without lameness present. I've had a SDFT injury that presented like this. Ligament and tendon strains take a long time to heal.
 
Thank-you for the replies, I'm prepared for it to be something quite serious since it has reoccured... I have continued to hack her for the time being and it has gone down a little with work - hopefully we will know on Monday exactly what we are dealing with
 
Def needs further investigation and probably not riding until sorted. Agree that there doesn't have to be lameness even with damage.

However, I was treating a horse for a suspected strain, box rest, etc. and I discovered that in fact she had the tinest little scratch that had become infected. But there wasn't the "up and down swelling" that you have had.

Mine had a tendon sheath injury and was on box rest for about 4 weeks, and I couldn't ride or return to any work until a scan showed it was completely healed. Horse returned to the same level of work as before.
 
Top