Posted 2018-04-12 8:18 PM Subject: Mystery swelling has me puzzled...
Expert
Posts: 1477 Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton
About 2 weeks ago I noticed my mares back leg was swollen just below her hock. I put ice tight on it and it went away. I noticed Tuesday that it was back and might be worse. We’ve trotted, flexed and trotted some more. She isn’t cripple anywhere. So I consulted with a lameness expert who agreed she wasn’t cripple in the least little bit. Not even slightly favoring the leg. But the swelling is prestisting. I though maybe she was stocking up from the heat but ive owned her since she was 5 months old and she’s 12 this year and never has before. Plus it’s only one leg. She does constantly kick in her stall. Made her some kick chains yesterday for that. It’s not hot or sore to the touch. Not sure what to do next. Part of me doesn’t want to ride her but she isn’t cripple at all so I’m on the fence about that. I can’t afford to go do tons of X-rays when we don’t know what we’re looking for. What now?
Posted 2018-04-12 8:25 PM Subject: RE: Mystery swelling has me puzzled...
Regular
Posts: 82
The exercise/movement may help to bring it down. When ours are in stalls at big rodeos for a week or so they tend to do that if they haven’t been able to get out and trot or lope around.
Posted 2018-04-14 3:46 AM Subject: RE: Mystery swelling has me puzzled...
Time off is your best friend and always keep in mind the problem is above
the swollen area when a leg is swollen.
Turn out allows him to use his leg and keep blood flowing thru the damaged area
and thru the hoof to use the frog to pump blood back up the leg.
Also, Do some water therapy on it to increase the blood flow thru the leg.
I would turn out for 4-6 weeks with no forced exercise and let healing take its course.
He may have ruptured or damaged some cartilage in his hock when kicking the
stall walls???
Kinda like when I have laid down and cried when I have bumped
a shin on a trailer ball sticking out from the rear bumper of a strange truck..lol
I wasn't lame but it took several weeks for the soreness to leave ....
Posted 2018-04-14 11:08 AM Subject: RE: Mystery swelling has me puzzled...
Expert
Posts: 1477 Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton
I did ice tight last night, wrapped it and turned her out. The swelling had went down some. I washed the ice tight off and did the cold water for about 5min. I then iced it for 15min. After the ice the swelling was almost completely gone and I noticed a hard knot between her bone and tendon. But still didn’t act like it hurt. I put DMSO on it and turned her out. So we’ll see what happens.
Mystery swelling has me puzzled...
