Still swollen leg..

[Skhosu]

Anyone help? My lad came in on friday night (why ooh always??) with a small 'stab' wound at the bottom of his knee on the outside back. It was swollen on the outside of the lower limb. LEt him out, no better on saturday. Put a poultice on and kept him in on saturday night, more swollen this morning so took everything off and put him in the tiny paddock where he could walk around a bit. A bit less swollen tonight. I'm a bit concerned about it tbh. I have got antibiotics for it tonight so gonna give those to him. He's not lame and it is not hot, although there is a bit of warmth to it. I can make thumb prints in it today, not sure if that means anything.
Anyone any ideas?

 

[archoak]

Does the thumb print spring back quite quickly - if it does that's good. My mare's leg is swollen and vet told me this when I rang him this am. Usually if there is swelling it indicates an infection so your antibiotics should sort this out quickly

Unbelievably my son's horse has a swollen fetlock tonight (expecting a large vet bill this month

) we have hot poulticed and turned out overnight and like you are hoping it goes down - at least tomorrow I'll only have one call out from the vet as he's coming for Molly

 

[Skhosu]

lol, have to love them...he had a swollen knee for no apparent reason a few weeks ago although it's gone down now!
ermm. It takes a wee bit to go back, I assume its fluid that is being moved by the pressure of my thumb?

 

[archoak]

Yes fluid and usually because of trauma which you have isolated to the knee injury, antibiotics kick in pretty quickly so you'll know if they're not helping. As soon as I left the yard I worried that the vet wrap would move the swelling down - I find wine helps with the worrying though

 

[Skhosu]

lol. I'm not good with bandaging so tend to worry about doing more harm than good (have failed PC B test twice on bandaging..) although I don't think I do it too tight, too loose is more the problem.
Have bunged him out tonight and will see tomorrow if a vet visit is warranted..

 

[archoak]

Well hope all goes well - our vets are the RVC and they usually advise turnout

 

[Skhosu]

ohh.. lucky you! Thanks for the thoughts

 

[GreedyGuts]

I would always be wary of wounds near synovial structures (joints/tendon sheaths), but the best indicator of whether these are infected is pain, and if your horses lameness is reducing then this is a good sign. The most likely thing it that he has cellulitis - an infection of the soft tissue, and the antibiotics should knock this on the head, but monitor for any changes in his condition/degree of lameness, and get the vet to check him if you become concerned.

 

[Skhosu]

This is my concern also. I think it is possibly a touch less swollen today, hoping! He isn't lame at all, or doesn't seem to be although he is tender to touch.