Tendons

[JACQSZOO]

As you know Georgie has been on box rest for a couple of weeks now. He came in from the field with a bit of heat and puffiness in his tendon. It really was nothing major, infact it was that slight that I could'nt feel it until YO showed me where. He wasnt lame as such but was dishing slightly with this leg. YO advised the usual cold therapy and box rest. All heat has now gone but he is still ever so slightly puffy, and I mean slight, I can feel it now because I know where and what I'm looking for but other liveries cant see it at all.
He has been on in hand walking for the past week and a half and YO has advised that I should increase this a bit now before I consider turning him out.

I would just like some more input as I have never had to deal with tendon problems before and I know bugger all about them really. Should I get the vet out? Or is my YO spot on with his advice.

 

[AmyMay]

Jac, you should have had the vet the minute you suspected a tendon injury - not a couple of weeks later.

 

[JACQSZOO]

[ QUOTE ]
Jac, you should have had the vet the minute you suspected a tendon injury - not a couple of weeks later.

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a feeling you would say that. I guess with him not actually being lame and the heat and puffiness being so ever slight I beleived in my YO. Not that I don't beleive in him now if you know what I mean.

 

[AmyMay]

The thing is with anything like that the vet is always your first port of call - better to waste £30 on a call out - Than £100's down the line becuase of treating it incorrectly. I know from bitter experience.

The vet may well have prescribed bute - which is anti-inflamatory as well as pain killing. And reducing the inflamation is the key - regardless of how slight.

I'm not one to panic and call the vet willy nilly - but for this sort of thing would never hesitate.

I'd call today for an appointment on Monday to be honest.

 

[evsj]

V similar to my horse - my YO couldn't find swelling on my girls tendon til i pointed it out. She was never lame, just not as forward going as her old self.
It was asking people on here that made me get the vet out (amymay was first to advise!) and lucky I did cos the scan showed a strain.

I would continue with box res, cold therapy and walking in hand until you get the vet. If you don't treat tendon probs the right way, horse might do something to make it alot worse - tear completely, even. Only a scan can confirm this.

It was last September she was diagnosed so she had the rest of last year off. Vet has said I can start getting her fit slowly but I am being cautious about it.

 

[JACQSZOO]

[ QUOTE ]
The thing is with anything like that the vet is always your first port of call - better to waste £30 on a call out - Than £100's down the line becuase of treating it incorrectly. I know from bitter experience.

The vet may well have prescribed bute - which is anti-inflamatory as well as pain killing. And reducing the inflamation is the key - regardless of how slight.

I'm not one to panic and call the vet willy nilly - but for this sort of thing would never hesitate.

I'd call today for an appointment on Monday to be honest.

[/ QUOTE ]

What little swelling is there reduces when he is walked out in hand. Its that slight I wonder whether I'm even imagining it!

 

[ihatework]

To be honest JACQSZOO I would probably have done the same thing as you, box rest and cold therapy, but I would ask for the vet to come and scan the area now before you start bringing back to work.

 

[JACQSZOO]

I know it is difficult for you to advice not knowing the full extent of the injury, but how long can these things take to clear up? The swelling is just below his knee on the inside of his leg between his cannon bone and the bit that runs down the back of the leg (god I'm hopeless lol) I will be calling the vet at some point today but I am now in a serious panic

 

[AmyMay]

Are you sure it's not a splint?? is it hard?

 

[AmyMay]

P.S

Dont panic.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JACQSZOO]

Nope its not hard and it does go down with exercise.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Nope its not hard and it does go down with exercise.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah Ok

 

[JACQSZOO]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Nope its not hard and it does go down with exercise.

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Ah Ok

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lol What does that mean!
Does it not sound like a tendon injury to you?

 

[vicijp]

Sounds like check ligament, generally 3 - 6 months off.
TBH, you have probably saved yourself a vets bill, all he would have done is prescribe bute (which would have been better) and arrange to scan, when the initial swelling has gone down.
Sounds as though its ready to be scanned now.

 

[JACQSZOO]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like check ligament, generally 3 - 6 months off.
TBH, you have probably saved yourself a vets bill, all he would have done is prescribe bute (which would have been better) and arrange to scan, when the initial swelling has gone down.
Sounds as though its ready to be scanned now.

[/ QUOTE ]

How long

There was never really any swelling. Its no better or worse.

 

[Dolphin]

Hi there,

I had a similar thing with my mare - slight lump minimal heat (hardly any at all) and no lameness whatsoever. I kept a close eye on it and called the vet after 6 days with no change.

Turned out to be check ligament and although she is now back in work - we are just about to start jumping but it has been 21 months now since the injury!

Call the vet for a scan - its worth the money...

 

[JACQSZOO]

Have just spoken to the vet. He is not of the opinion that it is a check ligament as the swelling is soft and disappears after exercise and is of the opinion that it is more likely an inflammed tendon sheath. Asked about having a scan and he said that even if I did at this stage his advice would be to carry on as I am anyway therefore it makes more sense to scan in a fortnight if things have not improved.

 

[ginny young]

What was the outcome then???

 

[elliegirl12]

my horse had a strained check ligerment and took me ages to get her into full work again somthing like 2-3 months before she could be ridden again. and on complete box rest the swelling slowly went down and the heat went after about a few weeks, she couldnt go out untill she was on like 30mins walk and half hour trotting we got the vet out and she said that by increasing it like 5 mins every week then once she was on a hour leading out then i could ride her with starting like 10mins walking only and slowly increasing it, she is now made a full recovery after like 8 - 9 months i would definetley get the vet out and get it scanned as i did and it was only broken fibres in her tendon to definetly have him properly diagnosed hope that helps