Tendon or paranoia! (Also in Vet)

Sanolly

Sanolly

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Hi took my boy for a short hack round the block after a show yesterday. Walk and trot on the road he felt fine but when coming back to trot after a short canter he was lame on his near fore for about 3 strides then fine again. Led him back to the yard and trotted him up, he is fine on the straight but very slightly (1/10 or less) short on a small circle on a hard surface, after a closer look he has a very slight swelling on the inside of his leg from about 1/2 way down where his DDFT would be - there is very little heat. Have cold hosed, bandaged and left him in for the night, he has also had a bute.

The swelling and heat are so minimal, but because of where it is I'm slightly panicking! He is very slightly back at the knee which doesn't help... Am I being paranoid or should I be worried?
 
I personally wouldn't of buted him just yet either as it's gonna mask any lameness if the problem gets worse.

I'd keep him in for a few days, hosing and bandaging at night and then see how he is. If no better or worse i would call vet but he may just of strained it so wouldn't panic just yet
 
Hi thanks, I buted him because it's an anti-inflammatory as well as a pain killer. He's only had one sachet which should be out of his system by tomorrow morning if I do need to get the vet out. As said there is very little lameness, I don't even think it's 1/10
 
Get the vet out. I have a horse with similar (although sound like more swelling) ATM and after scans which don't show anything ATM, he is now at a rehab clinic being box rested and having daily spas. He is going back for more scans in 2 weeks. Beware having scans too early, as tears etc do not show up at first as I understand it, and you want to save paying twice is necessary.

Mine has currently been diagnosed as having teno sinuvitus (sp?) And might not get past this diagnosis to anything more serious. After just about being back to full work after psd rehab, I am being über precious this time :o
 
Understand what your saying, just think it's gonna make him look sound when he is not if the lameness is so slight anyway.

Personally I would of just hosed etc and then see how he is in the morning, if still the same then maybe would of buted and rested for a few days, if worse then I would of called the vet.

Everyone does things different though and obviously u know ur horse and the injury better than us
 
Tbh, having no ice boots etc I found buying a large sports bandage stuffed with ice far better than cold hosing, as you can put it in then muck out etc, not wasting 20 mins standing with a hose. Of course you might have an easier facility of doing this, but icing I found far easier and convenient. :)
 
I have gel boots which you put in the fridge, I plan to put one on and then that loses the coolness then put the other one on. Today I put an old boot on his leg and then put the hose in the boot for 20 mins, I moved the hose from one side to the other after 10 mins.
 
It could well be just one of those things and he will be as right as rain in a few days.

However an eventer at my yard did a tendon there was no obvious swelling and he wasnt really lame. The owner just had a niggle that something wasnt right.

her family and instructor thought she was being ott but she got the leg scanned and there was a small tear. The vet was amazed she had noticed it. But said if she haddent it would only get worse. The horse needed 6 months off and came sound however if she hadnt been so proactive. It would have been longer with a much more guarded prognosis.

Ice boots and cold hosing are your friends, do this as many times a day as you can around other commitments. Like I say it could be nothing but treating it as a more major injury will not do it any harm. And if it does turn out to be major then you will have no regrets
 
Re my origional answer

My horse pulled up lame after a canter in June last year and had a very small amount of heat and hardly any swelling in the middle of his tendon between fetlock and knee
He wasn't lame the next day but on scanning he had completely ruptured his sdft
 
Sorry phone posted befor I was finished :(

After 5 months box rest and stem cell treatment he is now on the mend but he has had 18 months off

I didn't want to frighten the life out of you with my first answer but you just can't be to careful with tendons
Fingers crossed yours it ok
 
Posting on behalf if sanolly who doesn't have internet in her phone!

Swelling a lot more noticeable this morning so vet on way, pony seems happy in himself and still not lame. Will update after vet visit. Please keep everything crossed for her?

Angelish, I can't repeat what sanolly said after reading your post, but "chuffing bollards" would be along the right lines! She does tend to worry about these things so it's almost good for her to hear the "worst case scenario" so she knows what to expect.

Thanks again.
 
I'm dreading doing box rest again this year for mine, did 6/7 months last year for PSD, now exactly a year later I'm in the same boat :(
 
Joeanne, thank you, she says the tube is unopened but wait for vet before doing anything else.

Stencilface, I don't think she's looking forward to it either! Luckily her pony is Captain Sensible so shouldn't be too bad if he has to stay in, plus she has a tiny paddock just opposite her stable which he can go in. There is plenty going on to keep him entertained!
 
Well vet has just left, she doesn't think its the DDFT, but does think he's strained the check ligament. Plan is to boxrest, Bute, cold hose & bandage for 2 weeks then reassess. Better news than expected, but still not brilliant.
 
Thanks will pass it on. Forgot to say there is now a small but definite lump on the leg hence thinking It's the check, but as he's not all that lame she thinks that the 2 weeks should do it. S tends to panic though so not going to be a fun 2 weeks!

She wants to know if tubigrip would be better than gamgee under the bandages as not so heating?
 
I used a tea towel and those blue ice cube bags (from supermarket) and just bandaged that lot on with an old exercise bandage and set the timer on my phone for 20mins while I mucked out etc
It ment I could get my jobs done while he was "icing" and I could do it 3 times a day

My vet recommended putting the ice on (20mins) then letting it warm up for 10mins , then icing again for 20mins and only taking the bandages off to ice
Mine wore stable bandages on both front legs 24hrs a day for about 4 months

But all that ^ was for a tendon injury , sounds like hopefully a few weeks box rest will put him right , he's a lucky horse , hosing, bandaging and box rest straight away will have given him the best possible chance of a full recovery

Well done for spotting something wrong early , really hope he's ok there such a worry
 
Well I am a natural worrier so as you can imagine the last 24 hours haven't been fun... There's been a slight change of plan, following another quick consult with the vet he is out in a slightly larger grass paddock with sports boots on (I have the pair with the extra tendon support - Paul Tapner events in them!). He'll still have the cold boots on three times a day.

I've had him so long now (about 7 years) that I know when he's not right, plus I've had some experience with tendon trouble before with friends/work horses. Unfortunately when it comes to him "panic mode" takes over :o
 
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