Windgalls or worse?

[popsicle]

Hi. I wonder if anyone can advise me. Poppy has had what I thought was large windgalls for a couple of years now, on the back of both fetlocks. Last year one side swelled up more than the other and she went slightly lame on that leg. Vet came out and had a feel and said he thought it might be tendon sheath damage and ordered box rest for 2 weeks followed by 2 weeks field rest. She was sound after this although the swelling was still there and she was still favouring it a bit if she turned sharply when being led. In the past couple of weeks she seems to have been resting that foot quite a lot, but not lame. On Sunday we did a 12 mile pleasure ride with quite a bit of cantering and some galloping and she remained sound, but today she is a bit lame on that same leg. The "windgalls" are quite big and firm not soft to the touch, they don't seem to hurt when pressed and pinched. I have got her on "tiny paddock" rest. Not sure what to do as that injury is excluded from insurance because of last year, so cannot afford scans etc. Also after the box rest last year a different vet came to give her the all clear and said that the fetlock swelling was a Red Herring and the problem was arthritic changes to her hock. She is not a competition horse she is a happy hacker who normally hacks 4/5 times a week for 2 hours at a time, our hacks are quite energetic, but we are careful about hard ground. What would you do?

 

[Eaglestone]

I would get the Vet out again and possibly discuss about the benefits of having it scanned

Motor had a similarish problem when he was 22 and it was found to be a DDFT tear ... he had 1 months box rest and then in hand walking for 5 mins twice a day and then increasing it by 1 min each day until we got to 20 mins (if I recall correctly

) when trot was introduced. When I got him to an hour twice a day, then I started to walk him out on 'hacks' and would pop on him for some of the time. I took it very very slowly and it took a long time

.... he came sound, apart from 1/10th which the Vet said was 'mechanical' rather than pain (is that contradictory though

)

He is now 28 and apart from the Cushings (fingers crossed) he is sound as a pound

Good luck and keep us updated

ETA ... he could have had steroid injections, but that would have meant he would have had to go to the Vets for this to be carried out under 'clinical conditions', but as he does not box then that was a no no ......

Also there is the 'risk' of this bringing on Laminitis, so I would be cautious as this treatment has to be discussed in full with the Vet

 

[popsicle]

Thanks for the reply.

Glad your horsey became sound.

As I said in my post, unfortunately her insurance will not cover scans as this part of her body is excluded since the problem last year.

As the treatment (rest) will probably be the same perhaps whatever is found then maybe it would be just as well to just restrict her for a month and do as you did. Anyone else have any similar simptoms?

 

[flyingfeet]

I've never had a horse scanned as the outcome is always the same - rest!

If you think she isn't right put her on a course of cold hosing / cool packing and give her time off for a month. Its quite hard at the moment (well is around us) so could aggravate an injury.

You can also use gamgee and tight exercise bandages for 30 mins whilst walking to empty the windgalls if the fluid is mobile. This seems to help them form permanently (all my horses have them due to breeding).

 

[alsxx]

I've had a lot of trouble with a tendon sheath injury, it keeps coming back, but they are niggly things that can easily be tweaked again. We originally had the sheath medicated which did the trick for a few months but not a permanent solution, horse was lame again on it 2/3 months later. It was then scanned, which showed nothing of interest exept swelling which we already knew. She then had it MRI'd as was having front feet done anyway, and this too showed absolutely nothing up other than swelling. In her case the next step would have been a tenoscopy under GA to look inside the sheath and 'fix' whatever the problem was, however this never happed. Her insurance year is now up, and if she didn't have the other issues I would look into having the tenoscopy done as thats the only option left and she's only six, and I know that unfortunately no amount of rest will solve the problem completely, it will always flair up from time to time making her lame.

 

[loopylucifer]

would have vet out. mine had this tendon prob now for last 6 months at first though was just a windgall but when vet saw showed a slight lamness. scan showed damage to both ddft and sdfta fibouros lump and adheasions have posted pic as really not that much to see. But had to have tenoscopy jury is still out on the outcome!! but on another note friends horse has golfball size lump come up in same place when scaned showed nothing and wasn't lame so could just carry on

 

[popsicle]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I will try to get a pic if I can. It doesn't look like your horse's loopylucifer.

They are at the back of the fetlock and looking from the back make her fetlock look very wide in comparison to the other one. probably about 2 inches more in circumference. Anyone else?

 

[loopylucifer]

it could be justwindgall then as in an articulat one rather than tendonuis one that would be less serious