Swelling

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molly04

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Looking for a bit of advise before getting the vet out.

17hh 6 year old Irish sports horse

Her legs seem to swell over the smallest of things. Do stock up a little when kept in hardly anythin though but any little cut, mud fever, maybe a little kick/bang on her back legs and they swell like crazy.

She's being kept in as her mudfever has been bad and the field is very muddy but it's starting to heal fine and is nothing compared to how bad it was. Went up this afternoon and her leg was huge and very lame too. Most of the swelling is in her hock. And the mud fever is just a little around her fetlock.

She's either ridden or lunged everyday and has at least an hour in the indoor school with another mare (her best friend) to have a play.

Any ideas what could have caused the swelling today? & could anything cause her back legs to swell easy? ( 3rd time in the last few months she's had bag swelling on a hind leg)

TIA
 
Swelling is normally a warning that all is not well. But it can also be caused by a reduction in movement, i.e less turnout during winter. If the legs aren't warm, and is not lame although it may be stiff, then this is normally cuased by inactivity.

It will dissapear when either cold is applied to the leg or the horse is exercised. If it is still present after exercise then there is a problem.

Filling of the legs is more common in older horses, or those with injury that are confined to stables for much or all of the day. Filling is normally seen more in the hind legs than the front legs.

If a single leg is swollen then there is normally a problem. This is usually in conjuction with warmth in the leg or hoof and associated lameness. And then its time to call the vet, like you have said you are already doing.

You say the swelling is around the hock. It could be due to a capped hock or bog spavin or just an infection caused by a small puncture somewhere by the hock joint which has caused some amount of infection.

Good luck, hope its good news for you x
 
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Hi both

Thank you for your replies.
Either an infection or bad sprain- bute and antibiotics for a week and she should be fine!

Also mentioned that some horses are just more susceptible to swelling than others and it's nothing to worry about:-)
 
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