One fat leg...Andy Ideas?!

Llee94

Llee94

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Have also posted on Vet and Care, but had no replies. Hopefully someone on here will have an idea!
My TB has had a fat back leg for about 4 weeks now. It has swollen from his chestnut down to his fetlock. In that time, I have had the vet look at him twice, the farrier look and various knowledgable friends but nobody seems to know what is causing it. Vet didn't think it was anything serious and not worth scanning, so said to wait a while to see if any change. He isn't lame at all, its not sore and there is no heat. I have checked for mud fever, cuts, thorns etc but have found nothing.
When he is stabled, his back legs normally fill, but once he is turned out they go down with movement. The only thing I can think of is that they have been on limited turnout since the end of December and he has been on his winter break for two months, so not being ridden. Could this have caused it? I try to let all my horses out in the field for a few hours a couple of times a week and he always goes ballistic, throwing himself around behaving like an excitable child (even though he is 15 this year!) so it obviously isn't causing him any discomfort. At first I thought it could be a knock from him being silly, but surely this would have gone down by now?! He puts weight on it and isn't resting it any more than normal.
Do you think it would be worth getting him scanned even though the vet said not to worry?
Has anyone experienced this or know what could be causing it?
 
I've got one oldie that gets this even being out 24/7. The leg filling from being stood could have turned one leg to lymphangitis or cellulitis. Def have another chat with vet, might need antibiotics - I use a detox supplement which really helps with the filled legs, as well as movement/exercise.
 
BraidedTail said:
I've got one oldie that gets this even being out 24/7. The leg filling from being stood could have turned one leg to lymphangitis or cellulitis. Def have another chat with vet, might need antibiotics - I use a detox supplement which really helps with the filled legs, as well as movement/exercise.
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Ditto lymphangitis. Although you said you'd already had vet?? My mares was a combo of mud fever, too much cereal in her diet and excessive stabbing due to v heavy snow 2 years ago, she came up like an elephant. Stable bandages, antibiotics and Bute and she was right as rain in no time. I almost died with terror myself mind. Cuts can be so small you'll never find them. Clivers or cleevers which I think is stickyweed is good to stop legs filling. You can pick your own in summer and hang it in the garage to dry, put it through a blender and a handful a day does wonders. :) A change of diet, out 24/7 and we've never had it since. Good luck.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Have spoken to the vet again and they have prescribed him with a weeks worth of anti-inflamatories. Hopefully that will do the trick, otherwise the vet said to take him up there and they will do a more thorough investigation.
I will have to try out your idea shmoo, we always have loads of stickyweed near us so I will go out harvesting in the summer!
Braided Tail - would you be able to tell me which supplement you use?
 
Of course - I currently use Naf Detox, and have also used Global Herbs Restore in the past - Prefer the Naf as less volume of stuff to add to feed, but both seem to work well.
 
I'm another that would want him on antibiotics as well as having the anti inflammatorys, try adding cleavers as a supplement as well if that doesn't bring it down I'd want a scan.
 
Had the same with mine and my vet said it is massively common right now. Wet ground, limited frosts contribute. We kicked off with antibiotics and bandaging, leg would go down after work, but it kept coming back. This time is blew up massively so vet has been and injecting. We found a tiny (and I mean tiny) rub on his heel and that was enough to let in the infection. He is being scanned, he has been on box rest and walking out for 10 days and leg is now down. The infection resulted in 3 massive cracks under the pastern leaking gunge this time as well.
 
Mine had this a few weeks ago. The vet was called and thought it was a small wound that had got infected or mud fever, there were no visible signs. We had to wash his leg down daily with Hibiscrub and he had Bute and antibiotics along with box rest for a week. He is fine now and back to normal.
 
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