Protein causing lymphangtis type symptoms

[irishdraft]

Does anyone have any experience of protein definately causing a very swollen hind limb ? a friend of mine has this ongoing problem with their horse which they are convinced is caused by too much protein, the horse is not lame but if not ridden daily the leg is huge which obviously causes difficulty because he cannot bend the leg properly. The horse lives out anyway but now he is looking very thin because they have cut his food so much thinking this is the cause of the problem. I am not convinced by this and think its more likely to be he has a grumbling infection or some type of problem with the lymph system stemming from a previous hind limb infection/ lymphangitis some years earlier. I dont want to cast aspersions on their horse management as they are an extremly horsy family but I am not convinced by the theory.

 

[alsiola]

You are right to be sceptical of their theory. Active lymphangitis is potentially the most likely cause, although like you say it may be that lymph vessels have been damaged by previous attacks and the leg will never go down. LOW protein in the blood can cause swellings, although usually this appears along the belly first, and legs after. To only have one leg affected would be unusual. Possible but unlikely is some form of mass (e.g. tumour, abscess) obstructing lymph drainage from the leg.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My chestnut had filled legs from too much protein. It was on all four legs and happened one spring when the grass shot up and she was out 24/7 and having two small feeds a day (had been reduced from what she'd been fed over winter). She was fine in the evening but the following morning her legs were huge. She was not lame, could move freely but the filling went from the coronet bands up to the knees/hocks.

I called the Vet who came and asked me to cut all her hard feed. She was also kept in at night and the field was split with electric tape. I was also told to take her for long rides in walk. Within three days the filling had gone. I kept her in at night every spring after that and cut out her hard food by the start of April. It never happened again.

Then we moved to less rich land and we've now had two springs with no filled legs. I still cut all hard feed by April and move the horses to a small paddock to restrict the grazing.

Is the horse fine-skinned?

 

[spike123]

too much protein is suspected to be a reason for lymphangitis and any horse who suffers from it on an ongoing basis should certainly have a low protein/high fibre diet.The herb Clivers is also supposed to be of benefit.The most important thing is to keep the horse moving though. Some horses do have a lasting swelling of the leg due to the damage done to the lymph system and sadly some horses do end up being pts. A horse at my yard had lymphangitis this year.It happened to coincide with having changed to haylage,an increase in hard feed and less exercise because of the weather.

 

[irishdraft]

Thanks for your replies faracat I wouldnt say the horse was particularly fine skinned, this horse is a hunter of about 16/17 years, the problem has been ongoing for most of this year. There seems to be conflicting advice re the protein question and lymphangtis symptoms.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

OK, it's just that the Vet said that the problem was more common in fine-skinned horses due to weaker connective tissues, therefore the legs fill more easily.

I hope that you get to the bottom of the problem soon. It should be possible to feed him lots of fibre to keep his weight up, without giving him too much protein. I also think that if they can get him to do a fair bit of walking every day, his leg should reduce in size.

 

[Luci07]

My mare got this when she came home. 21 year (then) TB x. However on the basis that she managed to come down with just about everything going in the first 3 months it was hard to know what caused it. I had the vet out, he didn't recommend any changes in feed and I now feed her a supplement to prevent it (Marigold and something, can't remember so sorry not very helpful!). We have had no repeat performances since the first attack.

To also put you fully in the picture, mare came home with Cushings so was on a heavy dose (2mg) peroglide which also suppresses the immune system. Subsequent blood tests to check the dosage then ruled out cushings but in her case, we think it was a number of things that caused the lymphangitis originally. As she is in light work and a good doer she is not fed a huge amount anyway and swapped from haylage to soaked hay - basically so she could have more fibre and a bigger net!

Mare was also walked a lot in hand when it first came on. She is turned out daily regardless and worked 3 - 4 times a week, albeit lightly.

 

[fatpiggy]

In the days of working shire horses etc, this thickening of the limb was called Monday Morning Disease because the horses got Sundays off but were fed the same rations. It is also true that a limb previously affected by lymphangitis is much more susceptible to another attack, and the scarring of the lymph system means the leg fills more readily than normal. I think the horse in question probably does have either a mild infection or for whatever reason, isn't moving sufficiently to pump the lymph out of the leg.