Poor Belle

[sylvapak]

well... the story goes that someone moved my mare into a different field without consulting me or YO about it. later on in the moring someone put some more mares in this field. (there are never other horses in there so i expect they just didn't look) but poor belle got kicked and beaten up (and i expect she gave just as much back). but got back from work on sat and saw that belle was in the wrong field with these mares running around her and generally being mean. whilst she stood there looking very sorry for herself. brought her in on 3 legs... i was furious but managed to stay calm... noticed she'd been kicked in he hock. joint was very swollen and very sore. so hosed it down for aaages and gave her two things of bute. and gave her one sunday aswel but ran out for yesturday. Last night all seemed ok but still a bit swollen (parents tucked her in bed for me as i had to work till 10 in the evening). This morning her hock is still very swollen but there seems to be fluid all down her leg... its hot and very squishy. so turned her out for an hour while i mucked out then brought her back in, hosed her leg for about 20 - 30 mins, YO gave me some bute paste as she wont eat the powder and i put her in for the day. I text kitty and asked her what to do and she said that its prob an infection and to walk her about if she is sound (which she is) then to give it a good clean and to bandage it. Vet said to not give bute, to give a little bit of exercise and see how it is in a week.

So what should i do?

She is in at the moment and i am going up to muck out again

will prob turn her out in the indoor school while i do that. but do you guys think i should bandage it? Will hose it again. And what about the bute? any advice would be fab tho

arrrgh... why do horses legs have to be so precious?

thank you all for reading!

 

[AmyMay]

Get vet up tonight - sounds as if it could potentially be trouble.

Oh, and move yards as soon as possible - also charge YO for veterinary costs as well.

I would be incandecant with rage if I was in your position. You do not move horses about without discussing it with the owners first!!!!

 

[sylvapak]

have spoken to the vet and he says that he doesnt need to come out and to just keep an eye out for it?

Think i prob will move yards.... its just getting places.

I am so angry with everyone... the blame gets passed from one person to another... its just rediculous.

I think tomorrow if there is no improvement the vet needs to come out.

May even ring a different vet for advice...

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
have spoken to the vet and he says that he doesnt need to come out and to just keep an eye out for it?

[/ QUOTE ]
In that case I would also be changing vets. YOU'RE paying the bill - INSIST.

 

[sylvapak]

actually im not paying the vet bill.... YO is!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
actually im not paying the vet bill.... YO is!

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[sylvapak]

so do you think i should defo get the vet out tonight or see how she is in the morning? thing is she is sound when i trot her up...? just has a bit of a fat hot squishy leg?

 

[wizzi901]

did he not mention tet jab or antibiotics at all? If still swelling.....

 

[sylvapak]

noope he said to not give bute as this hides problems... and that its only going down the leg because of gravity. and just to walk her about and hose her leg down

 

[AmyMay]

Well personally if it were me with what you are describing yes. Others may disagree. But quite frankly I'd rather pay 30 quid and be told there's nothing wrong, than not - and end up with a real problem in a few days time. Especially as you say there is serum on the leg.

 

[sylvapak]

i take it serum = fluid?

there's usually a vet wandering about the yard that used to do large animals but only does small now as he has back problems... i may ask for his advice, even though he isnt reccomended by many people... he did help last time she got a nasty whack from the last horses... and i had only just brought her back into work! what a nightmare!

 

[michaeljarmuz]

My mums old horse "molly" fell back in about july 2006 and we got the local vet out...He said that nothing to worry about even though quite badly swolen and whilst there he did a quick check up...Off work for a few weeks,So we took her of work,then he also said to give her bute and the YO aswell as my mum said she doesnt take powder (makes her go off her food)but the vet insisted so YO shouted at him for paste.

Eventually we got through too him and we got paste.

She was off work for ages as limping...

RI rode her for about 10 mins once limping had stopped and then... she was very unbalanced as you would expect but something was still wrong...

We got the vets (from ripon) to come upto ilkley and then they did a more thorough checkup and found she had a heart mumor and they recomended that she be put down/put on field rest.

Molly usually loses lots of weight in winter,but with the new found heart murmor and losing weight in summer aswell we had too make the desicion no horse owner wants to make...

Local vets are good

But it might be worth getting a more expensive vet...


Sad story but it is reality...

I dont mean to upset you

 

[Sparklet]

Agree with Amymay - would always get the vet if a joint is involved.

 

[sylvapak]

this is a kick... so i dont think a kick could cause a heart murmour. and the vet said NOT to give bute to see if this shows up any problems. She isnt lame on it... so now i am totally confused... offf to the yard now anyway to see how she is... will update once im back!

 

[Happy Horse]

I would definitely be getting it checked. A kick on a hock with fluid leaking could be nothing or it could be something serious and potentially life threatening. Sorry to sound harsh but I have worked in an equine vets and seen cases just like this come in when it is too late - if there is a small track into the joint and you get an infection it is touch and go. There could be a chip in the joint. If the vet won't come out I'd kick up stink and get another one ASAP.

 

[aran]

if the kick is on the joint then get the vet. fluid could mean joint fluid (synovial fluid) - if this is leaking then you're in trouble and it needs to be sorted ASAP. Any infection that gets in destroys cartilage - this will cause irreversible joint damage - arthritis. normal antibiotics are not strong enough to sort out joint infections. usually the joint has to be flushed and strong antibiotics given. kicks to joints can also result in chip fractures - these untreated can also destroy the joint. Any kick to a joint should be checked out to be on the safe side as the consequences if it is involved are bad if not treated quickly.
i'd be going bananas!
good luck - i hope it is totally minor!

 

[merlinsquest]

Just checking..... I have read this post as 'fluid all down her leg' as the leg being swollen and squashy..... not as fluid escaping through the skin and running down the hair on the outside.....

I am sure Belles mum's vet would have come running if there was fluid leaking from within especially as there has been no mention of blood at all!!!

I would have thought the fact that the horse isnt lame would be a good indicator as to why the vet isnt in a huge hurry to see it.... anything dire would surely make her lame.

I will wait for an update before I say any more!!!

 

[SpaceMolly]

Awww hunny you already know what I think so all I can do is send you and Belle big hugs and if you need any help/support you know where I am!

 

[aran]

you're probably right that she means odema - i just read it wrong.
(although you don't need any blood to show for a puncture wound and as the synovial fluid is straw coloured it just looks like clear, viscous fluid on the horses leg and can be missed). horses can fracture bones and not be lame so thats not always a good indicator (although the majority of the time your probably safe). if it was infected then it would get hot, swollen and she should be in pain. joint injuries are just soooooo not nice - once you've been there you tend to become over-sensitive!

 

[Happy Horse]

Either way I would want it checked in case anything does come of it - if a vet hasn't seen it, it would be very hard to prove negligence against the person who turned her out without telling the owner. I'd be hopping! My own horse got a broken leg from a kick from his field companion but I had full knowledge of where he was turned out and who with. Even if I had a vet out to say there is nothing wrong I would still do it and give the YO the bill.

Joint infections can take a while to show. I would definitely verge on being over cautios in this case.

 

[sylvapak]

Hello all... i'm back!

Well to clear this up... there is definately no fluid leaking... no blood or anything its all under the skin... and im 100% positive as i have checked every singe hair on that flippin leg...

Swelling-wise there is no change really... but it is definately not as warm as it was. so i think it is improving slowly.

I put her in the indoor school to stretch her legs as she had been in most of the day.... and stretch her legs she did... she started wandering round and then suddenly she had this burst of energy and started cantering round and bucking every other stride... tail in the air looking all posh... and tracking up in trot too... and a few rolls... so i definately think she is feeling pretty good... had to tell her off in the end as i didnt want her doing more damage.

Afterwards i gave it a hose down for about 20 mins and then tucked her into bed... she seems fine in herself... and is usually a complete woos about any tiny bit of pain and makes out that it REALLY HURTS. lol so yeh i think she will be ok... if no improvement at all by tomorow the vet will definatley coming out to see her. and if there was fluid leaking out if th skin then the vet would have been out aaages ago!

 

[Sags_Deer]

sounds like joint fluid coming out of hock get it covered straight away, no turn out and call vet urgently. plus you have an infection. sorry to be blunt. good luck keep us all posted

 

[merlinsquest]

Great to know people read the posts before adding their opinion!!!

THERE IS NO FLUID ON OUTSIDE OF LEG!!!

 

[AmyMay]

Ah, good. So maybe no need to panic just yet.

 

[Sags_Deer]

yeah sorry your other post was not on here when i wrote mine hun big apologies. hope horse okay now.

 

[charlie76]

It sounds like infection to me- horse on our yard pulled back last week, galloped about the yard and slipped up causing a wound on his hock. He then swelled up like a ballon! We had the vet who gave him bute and antibiotics(he is 17.3hh ) , he is on 2 antibiotics a day plus 4 x bute. We are also cold hosing him twice a day, poulticing at night with stable bandages and riding him in walk twice a day to bring the swelling down.

 

[sylvapak]

helllooo everyone!

sammyj.... i figured you hadnt read my last update... you are forgiven

another update... this morning her leg was pretty much the same... was very dissapointed... so gave her some more bute paste and decided to turn her out in the field... she wasnt best pleased about being in the rain... but she was well rugged up, and i thought this would be the best thing for her as she will be moving about all the time.

Anyway, got back from Kittys and had a look... was thrilled! Starting to be able to see the tendons and ligaments under the skin now... rather than a fat leg. So looks like she is well on the mend... will not bother with the bute tomorow as the vet told me not to give it to her. So, if she remains sound should be bringing her back into work for the THIRD time this year, after the weekend! wooo!

thanks for all of your advice everyone! will keep you posted of any change