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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
    
Location: Georgia |
This might seem like an easy question for most of you but I'm curious what other people do. We've all been there. You walk out to your pasture and you find that your horse has a moderately swollen leg. Let's say from the middle of the cannon bone down to the ankle. Nothing too alarming, but puffy enough to take notice. Upon inspection you determine there are no cuts or puncture mark and there is no visible lameness associated with the swelling. However, there is heat when you touch the leg. What do you do? And what is your initial diagnosis? |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Dealing with this right now.... My mare got in a fight in the trailer and now has as a warm, swollen leg but no lameness.
I cold hose, and put liniment on it. Usually I don't wrap. It seems it takes a few days to heal no matter what you do.
Curious to read different answers too. |
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| Cold hose about 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a day. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| SORE NO MORE poultice after a good bucket soak in cold ice water...I give mine 3 days. If not better in 3 days ( as per my vet) need to have the vet look at the horse for possible soft tissue damage. Sore no more can be applied without wrapping. In fact works better that way. Pulls heat as it dries and lets the heat release into the air and not trapped in a bandage. I might even give previcox for a couple days as well to get inflammation out.
Edited by FLITASTIC 2017-07-18 9:52 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Cold hose 3-4 per day, then liniment or cooling poultice. If no lameness and turned out, don't wrap. If for some reason they have to be stalled (i.e. weather, apocalypse, etc...) I would wrap. The added compression can keep them from stocking up even more. I would palpate it daily to make sure the swelling hasn't "changed". |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I would cold hose it a few times a days and put a cooling gel/liniment on it after each cold hose. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Dex and sweat it and cold flex......m |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia |
Thank you all for the replies. So pretty basic - cold hosing and liniment/poultice. I know Flitastic said 3 days, how long do the rest of you guys wait before a vet trip is considered necessary?
Edited by Runninbay 2017-07-18 10:06 AM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Runninbay - 2017-07-18 10:05 AM
Thank you all for the replies. So pretty basic - cold hosing and liniment/poultice. I know Flitastic said 3 days, how long do the rest of you guys wait before a vet trip is considered necessary?
Ditto the hose and poultice.
3 days with no change is a good rule of thumb. If it changes for the worse, ASAP to the vet, ie more swelling, heat, or horse is off. I've had friends deal with things like cellulitis (which would typically present with heat and pain from the beginning, I know) and it can change very quickly.
I don't pamper mine until something swells up - then I'm a paranoid mess. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If the swelling doesn't go away overnight, I will be making a phone call to my vet, sending videos, and my assessment then do what the vet says. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Runninbay - 2017-07-18 10:05 AM
Thank you all for the replies. So pretty basic - cold hosing and liniment/poultice. I know Flitastic said 3 days, how long do the rest of you guys wait before a vet trip is considered necessary?
If I dont see any changes for the better after 2 to 3 days then I would be making a call to my vet, but I'm also one not to baby my horses either. But if it gets worst and the heat stays then I would be worried about a broken bone in the leg. So dont wait to long befor you decide you need to taking him in if the swelling gets tighter and more heat I would take him in as soon as possible. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | that happened a few years ago with a colt. we xrayed and he had a broken leg. nice crack on the cannon bone. we casted and stall rest for 6 weeks and rexrayed. healed fine. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | Pretty much the same as everyone else. Cold hose, SNM poultice. Every time my horses have had a swollen leg though it's been something off the wall. Once it was a bug bite, another time my mare stabbed a stem of hay into her knee  |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | livexlovexrodeo - 2017-07-18 12:07 PM Pretty much the same as everyone else. Cold hose, SNM poultice. Every time my horses have had a swollen leg though it's been something off the wall. Once it was a bug bite, another time my mare stabbed a stem of hay into her knee
You sound like me. I've decided my horses like to give my vets a little variety. 
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I would cold hose and then sweat it with a bandage, just my preference.
I like to wrap it for a few days and then see how they do without the wrap... if it blows up again as soon as the wrap is off then I put one back on.
I agree if its no better in 3-5 days or something changes and/or the horse becomes lame, then I would bring them in. |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | Cold hose and sweat. Furacin, quilt, plastic and then standing bandage |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Cold hose or alcohol leg wraps. |
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Member
Posts: 30
| Cold hose and Numotizine poultice. It is absolutely the best for drawing out swelling and soreness. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1430
Location: Montana | Cold hosing is good . . . I know I love ice on something sore!
If there's much swelling or a joint is swollen, I admit I reach for bute or banamine pretty fast. I don't like inflammation. And I'm talking about maybe 3 days worth - maybe one. Of course that's a terrible idea with a horse with any inclination toward ulcers . . . but mine mostly hang out in the pasture where tummies stay happy.
Good luck - hope it is just one of those no big deal things!
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Cold hose, hand walk, cold hose or ice bucket, Sore No More poultice (not wrapped) and bute AM/PM. If by third morning we're not looking better I'll call the vet. I may wrap the poultice but it just depends on how the leg is responding. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Hows he doing tonight Runninbay? |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | Southtxponygirl - 2017-07-19 9:39 PM Hows he doing tonight Runninbay?
Much much better! I've been cold hosing and applying a new round of poultice each evening. When I fed yesterday morning there wasnt much change but last night it looked almost normal. Hallelujah! Just hoping it stays down for good. Thank you for asking!
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What do YOU do for a swollen leg?