Swollen Stifle

[boomchakawowi]

Hi please can anyone offer me any advice, My TB came in from the field last sunday and was reluctant to have his left hind hoof picked out, and was putting all his weight on the right side almost falling over, after investigation I noticed he had a puncture wound about 8 inches below his stifle joint, but wasnt lame, he had very slight swelling and was very hot & sore to touch the area, I gave him 2 bute that night and then 2 the next morning, later on Monday I was a bit concerned that he was so sore so I called the vet out, the vet came and had to sedate him to get near it, she clipped the area around the cut and cleaned it with hibi scrub, she said that it was infected and gave me some bute and antibiotics and some compagel, and told me to cold hose daily with Box rest... I asked why she thought box rest and she said he may have a fracture and said that he needs to be rested for 1week, Tbh I thought this was a biy over the top as he was showing no signs of lameness, I rang her the next day and said that if its a fracture I want to know now and asked if she could come to do xray earlier than a week - she got quite shirty with me explaining that the fracture doesnt show up straight away... after speaking to my horses physio we all decided that this vet was a bit ott, So I box rested him for 3 days and his leg seemed to be fine ( no heat - no swelling no lameness etc just the existing puncture wound that ive been cleaning daily), so gave him some sedalin and let him out in the field for a couple of hours, when he came in tonight his stifle joint was really swollen, and hot again, why would this be? Im so worried the vet is coming back on Monday to assess and maybe do an xray, I know he has some bruising in the area as I can see that where she clipped him...

 

[soulfull]

Sorry if this is blunt BUT The vet said keep him in for a reason, you have gone against this advice and now wonder why it is sore again. Like vet said there could be a fracture, it might be tiny, it could be ligaments or tendons too. Not all serious injuries cause lameness!

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I really think you should have listened to the vet! Horse wouldn't look lame as it was on a high dose of bute. There is no point x-raying initially as there can be too much inflammation which clouds the image. Please keep him in now and do as the vet says, you really don't want to make it any worse and it is always best to be overcautious with injuries like this as you don't know what may have happened. I'd imagine his stifle is swollen after today because there is an injury in there and him moving around the field has aggravated it. I would definately cold hose again if you haven't already and then keep him in.

 

[Shysmum]

Erm, well *cough*.....firstly, have you read the forum much, so know what to expect here ?

If this is a serious post, I think you need to prepare yourself for some pretty harsh criticism coming your way. Just think about what you have written/done, and then try and see it from other people's points of view.

*walks away head in hands, despairing of some horse owners*

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

well you self medicated before the vet got there so a full analysis wasnt possible as he already had had bute. then you got vet, and chose your own route. and now he is crock again. if you get the vet again please follow the instructions given ..... usually for a reason. lets hope he doesnt need arthroscopy or a full joint flush under GA.