One Swollen Fetlock

[mad horse 3010]

Hello,

After a bit of advice!

My TB mare got out of her paddock a week last Sunday and galloped back to the yard - by the Monday she was lame infront, though not massively. She improved throughout the week, and was sound again by Friday and I think it was just a pull or a strain.

This Sunday, I went to turn her out in the morning and noticed her hind leg was swollen, at her fetlock, similar to that of fluid filled legs from standing in. Except it was just the one leg..

Turned her out as she was sound, and by the time she came in it had gone down. Had a feel around, no heat. A few little scabs so thought maybe mud fever (though she's never suffered before), so washed off with hibiscrub and dried - decided it wasn't mud fever as the scabs we could feel were infact just dried on mud!!
She has one small scab on that leg - probably from escaping the previous week.
This continued through Monday, going down again by the time she came in without lameness. On Tuesday evening it had gone down, but not to the extent it had on the other days, and on lunging to look for lameness she wasn't "right". Not actually lame, just not stepping through correctly.

I have put her on 5days of bute after ringing my vet, he suggested thats all they would say initially so save the cost of him coming out to tell me that, and just do it (I have some bute left over from a previous incident!).

She was moving much better last night and no swelling - but thats to be expected when on bute!

Any ideas what this could actually be?!
Vet wasn't particularly concerned over the phone but obviously couldn't see her. Whilst she's not hopping lame she isn't right and if the bute doesn't clear this she will go for further investigation.

Any ideas?

 

[claribella]

My horse had a similar thing the other week. She didnt look right and then her fetlock swelled. I thought maybe mud fever because she had a bit. She was happy in herself and so I didnt call the vet but just started her on some arnica which took the swelling right down and it wasnt until the swelling went down that I found a scab that was right tucked away and I wouldnt have found in all the swelling. Really pleased I went with my instinct and didnt call the vet out esp this time of year.

 

[DuckToller]

Mine had a fat fetlock behind and I had it scanned as I was worried it was a ddft injury - turned out to be hugely swollen annular ligament, from probably a blunt trauma.

Could she have bashed it? If it doesn't go down I would get it scanned, as better safe than sorry. Mine had 2 weeks box/yard rest, with 2 bute a day and cold hosing. He is back in gentle work but it is still swollen, so thinking of going back to box rest for another week.

 

[mad horse 3010]

I guess yes there is every chance she could have bashed it and I wouldn't be aware, either on her stable walls or potentially on a post in the field (though this would be more difficult to do as she'd have to aim at the post!)

Certainly if the improvement stops when the bute stops, she will go into horsepital, at the minute it's hard to tell as the swelling is gone and she's sound.. but she's on bute! Hopefully whilst she's on it it will give whatever it is chance to heal!

 

[claribella]

Ah its so frustrating isnt it. Sometimes it would be good if they could speak. I hope you manage to find out what the problem is