Swollen tendon but no damage shown on scan

[joricketts]

My ultra thin skinned, accident prone thoroughbred has got a small swelling on his tendon about halfway between hock and fetlock. No heat and no sensitivity to touch and no lameness. First vet to see said he had pain very locally on tendon. Box rested him and cold hosed, iced and bandaged it and got the swelling right down. Took him 3 days later to the vets for a scan which showed no tendon damage.
Vet recommended turnout and controlled exercise. A day later he comes in from field with a little heat in the leg and the swelling is coming back, bandaged overnight and swelling goes back down.

I turned out in Sports Medicine Boots for added support and protection so am wondering whether it was because the legs heated up too much. That and the fact the horse does have a tendency to leap about in the field even when sedated.

Anyone else had anything similar or any ideas?

Supposed to be going to the Winter Nationals next month so really praying it is not tendon problems.

 

[mrdarcy]

Was it three days between the initial swelling and when you went for the scan? It's not clear from your post but generally vets adivse waiting 7-10 days from initial 'injury' to having it scanned as any damage may not show up if scanned earlier.

There's clearly something going on. I had something similar with one of mine - front leg though - swelling but no lameness, and no damage shown on scan. My vet thought it was inflammation round the tendon sheath rather than damage to the tendon fibres themselves and not too serious.

If the swelling keeps returning after he's been turnout or ridden (rather than when he's been stood in) I think I'd be tempted to box rest him again and get it rescanned in a weeks time - just to make sure. Err on the side of caution is my motto!

 

[vicijp]

You should walk for a week, then trot for a week. If it flares up at any time a scan should then tell the truth. If not - kick on.

 

[joricketts]

Thanks for your input guys.

The possible injury/knock or what ever it is must have happend in the field on Thursday afternoon or the stable on Thursday night as the first swelling was noticed on Friday morning. The scan was taken on the Monday so not sure if that is too early to see any possible damage. The swelling went right down over those three days and was only very localised in the centre of the tendon.

No swelling last night after being turned out again with no boots and the leg was cold with no heat. Will continue gentle hacking and see what happens.

 

[minmax]

Hi, my gelding injured his tendon sheath in the field. He had got his leg stuck playing with the pipe on the water bowser and had pulled back. It looked like a tennis ball down a sock when I saw it that night! I was'nt told what he had done so cold hosed it and bandaged it for a few days then had the vet out to scan. No damage to tendon which amazed him, just blood where the injury site was, so kept on with cold hoseing and turned him out. Walk hacks for a few weeks and he's fine now.
Good luck

 

[kerilli]

if he was mine, i would leave boots off, definitely. i'd walk for a week, no turnout, then i'd want another scan done to prove it's nothing... if it scans clean, great, and bring back into work at vet's discretion.

 

[Paddywhack]

My vet will not scan a possible tendon injury within 10 days after the injury has happened,he will advice box rest,cold hoosing,kaolin,wait for the swelling to go down and absolutely NO TURN OUT
It can take up to 10 days before an any damage to the tendon will show up on a scan,and the swelling makes it harder.
I have dealt with a nasty tendon injury and if t was my horse i would only take it out of the box to cold hoose wait another week and then have another scan,walking out(even in hand)can actually do more damage to the tendon if something is happening in there

 

[cellie]

I have a very fine tb who came in lame last aug with tendon injury.It was hard to find on the scan but he had a 10% tear we treated it like a bad injury with box rest then restricted turnout and I brought him back to work slowly with no more problems.My vets advice was to treat it like any other tendon injury or the 10 % could very easily move up to 30% plus.The scans 3 months later showed he had healed well so I was pleased that we were cautious.I restricted his turnout with lots of small interlocking paddocks because he bucks and pings around his field and this stopped him bursting into full canter he was a ex sprinter.I had the same problem with swelling it took 4 weeks for any improvement.I would get him scanned if I was you as my first call out with a different vet told me to bring him back to work after 2 weeks Im really pleased I had the full check.Good luck

 

[Nlcummings]

I have 4yr old mare, found her after day in with heat and swelling above fetlock. Cold hosed and box rest for week. Swelling down in 1-2 days. Vet scanned after 1 week, all looked fine so turned out, came in fine but after being in heat and swelling back. Any ideas/advice?