Trauma to stifle (also in vet)

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ALO

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My 6 year old had a stable wall fall made of blocks fall whilst he was in it. He had superficial circuits and a swollen stifle. Have had X-rays done that were clear. This was a week ago and swelling has reduced, lameness has improved but both still there. Has anyone else's horse had an acute injury to there stifle. How long did it take to resolve?am starting to panic. Scans are booked for Thursday if no improvement 😕
 
It's easy for me to say, but don't panic just yet!!
Friend's horse decided that the tractor that passes her pen every day was suddenly the devil in disguise & she jumped out over the gates! Bearing in mind that these are at least 6ft solid gates!!!! She hung herself by the stifles as she slithered over (landed on her teeth, scraped her knees) & she had large 'burns' on the inside of her near hind stifle & the stifle itself was very swollen. She didn't really want to put any weight on it for a couple of days, then would tentatively limp round for another few days. We then turned her out during the day & she gradually got better - 3 weeks later she was 100% again & able to continue work.
Blummin horses!! :)
 
That's a reassuring story!can you remember how long it took for the swelling to go down?horses are a nightmare, think I should take up another less stressful hobby!
 
Lol, I've thought that for nearly 40years but I appear to still own the darn things!!! :D

The swelling took a good 10 days to go down so that it couldn't be seen from Mars & then was a bit squishy for another few days until she started to move round the field more!
 
Mine had a large haematoma on his stifle from kicking over the electric fence and pulling away, there was only a little abrasion but the swelling was fairly large, it took a couple of months to fully resolve and him to come totally sound, it is a tricky joint but if nothing shows on xrays or scans then it may just require time, mine went out 24/7 and had cold hosing and compagel daily for the first month.
 
Thanks everyone. Guess I'll just have to be patient and wait till Thursday and keep everything crossed. It's reassuring to know that others stayed swollen for a while as well.
 
Not the end of the world though. My last horse sprained his stifle prattling about in the field, he was box rested and gradually brought back in to work over about a three month period and returned to full fitness and all his activities.
Sadly, he fell badly in his field a couple of years later (he was very exuberant) and sustained SI damage and was PTS.
 
He was on three legs and dragging the injured leg. The vet didn't bother to scan - it was an 'either it comes right or it doesn't' job. Most of them are pretty awful to start off with, then get institutionalised.
My biggest problem was the vet wanted his ridden work to start before his turn out was reintroduced, and suggested hacking as a good way to build up strength lol! What planet do they live on??!!!
Anyway, with the help of a good friend and her rock solid hunter, a Dutch gag and a martingale, we got on with it. Few hairy moments but he was mostly as good as gold.
 
That did make me smile!they do habe some interesting concepts in the vet world that doesn't really work in the real world!ha!thabks for your reply 😀
 
Just an update for anyone interested. He had to habe a trip to hospital last week as the leg swelled up again. However, Multiple X-rays and scans later showed no lesion at all in the ligament and a haematoma!so what was seen originally must've been bruising. I'm so pleased I could cry. He's pretty much sound now and 4 more weeks pen rest before the joy of getting (and hopefully staying) on 😃
 
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