Swollen legs & hollows above eyes.

[sassandbells]

Hoping someone might have an idea, I have had the vet out and I’m giving Bute twice a day to see if it helps but my vet was a bit baffled.

Just for some background, Lilly is 19 months old, currently out 24/7 on grass (quite short) and has hay in the field in a small holed net. She’s a good weight, can feel ribs, no fat pads or anything. .

On Tuesday, Lilly came in with a slightly puffy right hind leg. Not lame at all but there was a bit of heat.

On Wednesday, her right hind looked like a tree trunk, there was significant heat, her left hind was also swollen but not as badly. It’s puffy, but fairly solid from the fetlock to 3/4 of the way up the cannon bone. The hollows above her eyes are also very puffy, and the parotid glands are protruding? (Idk if they’re swollen but they’re definitely more noticeable)

We did a walk / trot up and the vet said she didn’t seem uncomfortable in either gate. My vet has given me a course of bute to trial for the next few days, I gave her the first sachet last night and although the swellings in her leg have gone down a little bit they’re still significantly swollen.

Does anyone have any ideas of what this could be so that I could raise it with the vets? Or know if there’s any other tests we should be doing to check this out? There is another practice I use for my other mare who I’m debating contacting too as they’re more of a “horspital” and can deal with a lot more than the ones I had out.

The vets did suggest the facial swellings could just be grass glands due to the crazy weather we’ve been having lately & the grass growth but with the legs swelling as well I just want to be sure we’re not just dismissing it if there is any kind of link that I’m not aware of.

Thank you.

ETA: Nothing in her diet / routine has changed in the past month.

 

[shortstuff99]

If it wasn't for the age, which puts me off a bit, swollen hollows above eyes is a sign of cushings.

I would also want to check for infection as could be cellulitis in the legs.

 

[Red-1]

I had this every year with one particular field. I found if I shipped the horse to the beach and paddled in the sea, it would go down. No easy undertaking as it was a 4 hour round trip! It was well worthwhile though as the swelling started small but ended up right above the hock, despite hosing and drugs. I then took him off the field. The next year, I was quicker to act, didn't need the vet, just a beach trip.

Happened with one other horse too, so now I am always on the lookout in that particular field although neither I or the vet have identified the culprit. Happily, it is a very small field and I have others! That field is fine apart from a few weeks in autumn.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Ems can cause puffiness above the eye as well as cushings and I know one gelding that had ems had a puffy sheath as well, so maybe it can cause swelling elsewhere as well definitely worth getting the vet though.

 

[sassandbells]

If it wasn't for the age, which puts me off a bit, swollen hollows above eyes is a sign of cushings.

I would also want to check for infection as could be cellulitis in the legs.

Thank you, I’ll speak to my vets about cellulitis. The swellings in her legs have gone down a bit this afternoon but it doesn’t really explain why they were there in the first place.

On a Google search it did suggest cushings but like you I was thrown by her age and she doesn’t really have any other signs. Laminitis also came up but again, there’s no real other signs.

 

[nutjob]

One of mine is just recovering from cellulitis. Both hind legs were swollen from the hock to the fetlock and were hot and sore. His temp was also up a bit. 5 days of antibiotics have got it down.

Previously, I had one which had an enormous leg from lymphangitis. This was one leg only. I would ask your vet if your horse possibly has one of these conditions. Both are potentially very serious and at least the vet should explain why they think yours doesn't have an infection if they haven't given antibiotics.

 

[sassandbells]

I had this every year with one particular field. I found if I shipped the horse to the beach and paddled in the sea, it would go down. No easy undertaking as it was a 4 hour round trip! It was well worthwhile though as the swelling started small but ended up right above the hock, despite hosing and drugs. I then took him off the field. The next year, I was quicker to act, didn't need the vet, just a beach trip.

Happened with one other horse too, so now I am always on the lookout in that particular field although neither I or the vet have identified the culprit. Happily, it is a very small field and I have others! That field is fine apart from a few weeks in autumn.

Thank you, that’s really interesting to know! She’s been in this field for a couple of months, it was quite long / old grass but now the new grass is coming through I wonder if that could have anything to do with it?

I do have other fields but one is luminous green at the moment and the other is full of acorns.. might have to pull my finger out and rake them all up and see if the field makes any difference. I’m not sure I’d be confident enough to take her on her first outing to the beach though!

 

[sassandbells]

Ems can cause puffiness above the eye as well as cushings and I know one gelding that had ems had a puffy sheath as well, so maybe it can cause swelling elsewhere as well definitely worth getting the vet though.

Thank you, yeah I’m definitely debating getting a second opinion.. she doesn’t present as a typical EMS/cushings horse but I guess at this point it’s worth checking.

 

[sassandbells]

One of mine is just recovering from cellulitis. Both hind legs were swollen from the hock to the fetlock and were hot and sore. His temp was also up a bit. 5 days of antibiotics have got it down.

Previously, I had one which had an enormous leg from lymphangitis. This was one leg only. I would ask your vet if your horse possibly has one of these conditions. Both are potentially very serious and at least the vet should explain why they think yours doesn't have an infection if they haven't given antibiotics.

Thank you. We did examine her legs and couldn’t find any obvious wounds or anything that would lead to infection on them, but I was surprised to only be given bute. The swellings in her legs have gone down a bit today but the eyes are still puffy so possibly unrelated? I’ll give them a call to update them later and see what they say.

 

[nutjob]

We did examine her legs and couldn’t find any obvious wounds or anything that would lead to infection on them, but I was surprised to only be given bute.

Neither of mine had any obvious wounds either. They also didn't have any puffy eyes so maybe this is unrelated or maybe your vet has something else in mind that's not as severe. I was advised to cold hose and get them walking as much as possible if the pain allowed. Good idea to give them a call and ask for a bit more info.

 

[sassandbells]

Neither of mine had any obvious wounds either. They also didn't have any puffy eyes so maybe this is unrelated or maybe your vet has something else in mind that's not as severe. I was advised to cold hose and get them walking as much as possible if the pain allowed. Good idea to give them a call and ask for a bit more info.

That’s really interesting, I guess I wrongly assumed there would have to be a point of entry for infection like that to occur.. every days a school day! Thank you.

 

[Starzaan]

Ok I have questions.
1) is the leg swelling a pitting oedema? If you press your thumb hard into it does it leave an indent?
2) how far does the swelling of her parotid glands go? Does it continue up onto the cheeks?
3) did the vet do bloods? If so, does she have significantly raised fibrinogens?

 

[sassandbells]

Ok I have questions.
1) is the leg swelling a pitting oedema? If you press your thumb hard into it does it leave an indent?
2) how far does the swelling of her parotid glands go? Does it continue up onto the cheeks?
3) did the vet do bloods? If so, does she have significantly raised fibrinogens?

Thanks for your reply!

1. No, around the fetlock it’s quite solid, It goes a bit softer above the fetlock but it doesn’t leave indents if you press it.

2. I was trying to attach a photo but it won’t let me as the files too large, but it goes about 2 inches down from the top of the jaw/cheek/throat latch area. My facial anatomy isn’t great so sorry for the bad description.

3. Vets did not suggest taking bloods, but I wasn’t overly confident in their advice to just try bute and see if it goes away… I didn’t think to ask either.

 

[Hackback]

When one of mine had cellulitis he was on 3 legs and quite ill with it. Its supposed to be very painful. Yours does sound more like a reaction to something doesn't it. Did you have something in mind @Starzaan?

 

[Starzaan]

When one of mine had cellulitis he was on 3 legs and quite ill with it. Its supposed to be very painful. Yours does sound more like a reaction to something doesn't it. Did you have something in mind @Starzaan?

Yep, this could point to issues with the liver function.

 

[sassandbells]

Yep, this could point to issues with the liver function.

Thank you, are you able to advise on what I’d need to ask my vet for to get this checked out? Would it just be a blood test?

 

[Starzaan]

Thank you, are you able to advise on what I’d need to ask my vet for to get this checked out? Would it just be a blood test?

Yep, you’d need bloods run with full liver function tests.
It could also be cellulitis or lymphangitis but the parotid glands definitely point to liver or protein issues when presenting with the other symptoms.
Let me know if I can help at all!

 

[sassandbells]

Yep, you’d need bloods run with full liver function tests.
It could also be cellulitis or lymphangitis but the parotid glands definitely point to liver or protein issues when presenting with the other symptoms.
Let me know if I can help at all!

I won’t lie, I am slightly panicking now! I’ll be on the phone to the vets first thing in the morning.. and see if I can get someone out to do bloods!

 

[Starzaan]

I won’t lie, I am slightly panicking now! I’ll be on the phone to the vets first thing in the morning.. and see if I can get someone out to do bloods!

No need to panic AT ALL. It’s fairly common - I see this a lot with my rehabs. And I had a horse who had a protein intolerance which presented like this (although he also ended up with a sheath like a sodding football which was pretty alarming the first time!).
Honestly please don’t worry. My inbox is always open if you want to talk things through. ?