Pastern cut and + swollen fetlock

[ninklenogs]

Horse came in hoping lame around 2 weeks ago with laceration to front pastern. Vet came out and cleaned up the wound, didnt think there was any joint involvement horse was given antibiotics and pain relief. Bandage is now off, horse is sound and has been for much of the box rest. However although the swelling in the pastern has gone down the fetlock of the leg that had the cut seems to swell up over night (there is no lameness when walking or trotting) given the antics when he was turnout out with turnout boots on he was sound and swelling was down when he was brought back in. I had hoped it would have not swollen up over night but it has - he is sound and vet said to turn out and see how he is later when he comes in. the laceration is no more than a graze just now - anyone had anything similar? Vet has said we can see if a stable bandage helps over night or would i be better turning him out over night seeing as he is sound?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

My lad cut his pastern quite deeply. He was sound but I was advised not to ride to help the healing. He was given antibiotics as it was fairly near a joint. He didn't have box rest and was turned out daily. He may even have been out 24/7, it was a while ago. It seemed to take months forthe swelling to go down completely. The swelling continued after the cut had headed and then one day it was just gone, but it absolutely ages!

 

[Mockingbird]

This was much the same although the day he injured himself he was quite sore and lame but walked fine the following day. Like yours this was near the joint so given antibiotics. I’m wondering if he’d be better out 24/7 rather than in as the swelling went down once he’d been out on it. Will see what he’s like this afternoon as it was pretty puffy again but he can be a bit soft and ouchy when he’s hurt something

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’ve always found that injuries swell overnight if stood in a box as lymph system drainage which is aided by movement ..is reduced. If swelling goes down with movement during the day I would consider that normal in the healing process and in time will become unnoticeable. Obviously if there is heat at the site or raised temperature in the horse then that needs vet advice again.

 

[Squeak]

My vet recommended magnets for this scenario and I prefer them over bandaging every night as you can literally just get the band ones. As others have said they did disappear over time but for me it was a gradual thing rather than it suddenly stopping.

 

[Mockingbird]

So update is he’s out during the day and in at night still swelling when standing in but cut is little more than a graze have started walking 15/20 minutes under stable two or three times a week for a week. We have begun to introduce a little bit of trot - he is sound and puffiness walks off within a few minutes. Wondering whether stable bandages might be a good idea at night?

 

[Red-1]

I dislike bandages unless they are absolutely necessary, I have seen too many that were badly applied or slipped that then caused an injury.

I like the Veredus magnetic stable boots. You can out gentle pressure on without pressure spots, the magnets seem to help and they are pretty foolproof. Not saying that you are a fool, but things happen!