Swollen legs? Virus? Steriod Injections (also in Vet)

[luce1]

Hey people, just after a bit of advice and wondered if anyone’s horses have been through something similar.. (also posted in Vet but tend to lurk in here Went to turn my horse out yesterday and all his legs were like balloons! He was walking ok, and went into the field and after a few hours still no change.. Vet came out and said its either a reaction to something (although he is on restricted grassing with no grass) or a virus.. He has started a course of anti biotics and bute.. Vet said to ring if they were still the same this morning.. they were. Vet said they can give him steroid injections to reduce the swelling but this carries a risk of laminitis. I am a bit worried about this, but also just worried to leave them as they are! Plan at the moment is to leave him until 3pm and see how his legs are...
Any feedback/advice appreciated!!!

 

[punk]

Hi

We have had this happen - and it was eventually diagnosed as Lymphangitis caused by an insect bite!! That was a few years ago and the bite itself was on the side of the horse, just behind the girth. It took a few days after we saw the bite for the legs to swell, and it started with the back legs. We had to give two courses of antibiotics for it to subside!!

This year we have had individual legs swelling, on several different horses, in the same (lymphatic) way from fly bites (could be ticks) - mostly in April /May. Again we used antibiotics to control it, but now are using 'Switch' (applied to the legs) and deet fly spray, and so far we have managed to keep it at bay.

Never really established whether it was stable flies/ticks/midges/ black flies etc, but they caused a scab which turned into a granulated oozy mess!!!

We live in Scotland - home of the midge!!! Not sure that this is the culprit though!!

 

[trottingpole]

Does sound like lymphangitis is a strong possibility?

Either way, i would be walking him in hand and keeping him turned out as much as possible to get everything moving.

I have a horse who has had lymphangitis 4 times now - when they have it once they become more prone - and along with antibiotic/anti-inflammatories we have to lunge him gently, as just turning out isn't enough

 

[TarrSteps]

There are viruses that can cause this. (I had a horse that got what I now suspect was Potomac in what amounted to an epidemic, except it was before the disease was identified. He did recover well but all his life his legs would swell on any excuse - stood in, change of feed, change in the weather, any other illness etc.)

Does the horse have any other symptoms - fever, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, raised pulse or respiration?

 

[amage]

Definitely sounds like lymphangitis. If you press the swelling with your thumb will it hold an indentation? Re the steroids and laminitis risk...the risk is small but they have to warn you. There is side effect risks to any drug we give our horses go with vets advice

 

[luce1]

hi everyone!
thanks for the replies... please to report the legs went down and are nearly back to normal!! last day of antibiotics tomorrow... vet didnt take blood in the end but said more than likely a virus... he didnt seem to have any other symptons... only massive legs!!! was so worried!!

 

[K27]

Yep, my horse has had this- a few months ago following a virus where he was completely under the weather with a nasty cough,the Vet said it was Cellulitis but tbh it was more like Lymphangitis- was absolutely awful and a really tricky to treat- was injecting him every day for 2 weeks with antibiotics as the oral antib's were not working plus he wouldn't eat them- he had absolutely no marks or scars on his legs, took about 3 weeks to go down, and i was doing anything and everything to get him back to normal i.e hosing at least twice a day, walking in hand, ridden exercise, turnout, bandaging and wrapping with his back on track wraps/magnetic wraps, liniments- i tried it all!