Tendon Injury - Advice please!!

[jes_nibley]

Hi all,

My youngster has, this afternoon, decided that the grass is definitely greener and went through the electric fence taking most of it with him and getting pretty tangled!!

His tendon (the one running down the back of his near fore - sorry, I can't remember the proper name

) is now quite swollen...

I've brought him in and have cold hosed it but am not sure what the current school of thought re bandaging is?!?

My older lad has an old injury to his extensor tendon on his off fore and when it (very (fingers crossed)) occasionally flares up I know that a couple of days box rest with bandaging sorts him out.

So, as over the years I have heard conflicting advice; is it best to just cold hose and box rest? Or, should I bandage and box rest? Or, should I be doing something else completely?!

Thank you in advance, and apologies for (once again) rambling an awful lot?!

 

[jaynedoc]

I would bandage for support. Ice / cold hose is really only good at the time of injury, then support should be applied.

 

[vicijp]

Anti inflammatories are essential, get the swelling down so you can see whats going on.
Until then cold therapy/bandage/box rest, unless someone ultra experienced can tell you it definetly isn't on the tendon. If so, turn him out.

 

[Saff]

I would use cold therapy to try to relieve the swelling as if you want the vet to ultra sound scan it the swelling needs to be down. I prefer the like ice gel to clay. I would do cold therapy twise a day and bandgage with box rest. My mare did the same tendon last year we're now back in full work.

 

[Birker2020]

My friend who is studying to become a horse physio has been told by her tutor that ice cups are the best thing to put on injuries such as tendons. Buy some polystyrene cups simply fill with water and freeze. Once frozen apply to the horses leg but keep gliding the ice over the injury site to prevent freeze burn. When the ice starts to melt peel the polystyrene cup down until you have used all the ice (this takes about 20 mins). The ice will melt over the injury site and mould to the leg which makes life a lot easier. Ice is better that cold hosing as it is more direct, easier to apply and quicker to work. I am using ice cups at the moment for my horses splint twice a day. I have bought a load of cups from the local poundshop and filled a quantity up in the freezer of our livery yard so anyone whose horse needs instant ice can help themselves. Ice is usefull for the first 48 to 72 hours but the sooner you can apply it to a damaged tendon the better. Anti inflammatories such as Danillon are really good to. If I were you I'd keep on box rest for a few days until the vet has assessed the horse unless the horse is very quiet in the field or has access to a small paddock on its own. Bandaging overnight is always a good idea, but you should always use gamgee underneath the bandage and bandage the opposite leg for support.

 

[teddyt]

Frequent cold hosing will help reduce inflammation. Rest and support bandage both front legs. If still swollen monday call the vet. Otherwise you are just guessing as to the involvement of the tendon and treatment needs to be specific to ensure its effectiveness and hence a good prognosis.

 

[Saff]

Not every yard has a freezer though!

 

[RachelB]

Ice ice ice and cold cold cold - then some more!
If in any doubt, get a vet... I'm sure my mare's injury wouldn't have been quite so bad had I not thought the 2cm tear in her DDFT was an abcess

 

[jenh166]

You can use a cool box to transport ice to yard from home! I had to do this after my horse tripped in a water jump and lacerated both his knees.
The tendon running down the back of the leg most superficially is the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) - if this is injured you will most likely see a bowed tendon from below the knee to fetlock at the back of the leg..he could well have just got a haemoatoma/bruising from an electric fence injury though...but answer to original question is yes - bandage him, try to re-do every 12hrs and check leg isn't getting funny lumps and bumps from pressure points though. Have you any bute lying around? I'd box rest him and bute him for 3-5days and if no better at all, then call vet out. Fingers crossed it's nothing too serious!

 

[jes_nibley]

Thanks guys.

I sprayed with like ice and gave him a bute a little while ago. Will head down in a bit and out a cold pack thing on and then bandage afterwards.

He has a slight bowing but only from the knee to about half way down to his fetlock.

Fingers crossed, with a few days cold treatment, bandaging and box rest he'll be ok!! Could do without a vets bill just now...

Bean88 - thank you, that's the one I was looking for...!!