Swollen Leg

[FoxFireEMT]

Okay I'm at a loss here.

Yesterday I went to visit Legend. It's been about 2 days since I've been out there & there was no reported incidents from the BO. I stepped into Legend's stall & first thing I notice is her back left leg looked swollen. Due to the weather they've been stalled the better part of 2 days, so first I thought ~ well she must just "stock" up when kept in. Then I began to think realisitically & realized it was just that one foot/leg. Now a little back ground about 2 weeks ago I was Dr-ing a small cut to the her pastern on that leg (just below her ankle). Needless to say, it got to the point I fought Legend towards the end to even get back to that leg b/c she didn't want me fooling with it. It was just about healed last time I touched it. All last week, it looked good & no problems noticed. She still had a "scab" but nothing to serious. The weather got crappier & the horses spent a lot of the beginning of the week in the crappy weather bc my BO was apparently lazy & didn't bring them in like I asked. (Not saying this is her fault but I dont' think the "mud" & ick helped.) I studied Legend leg again, against her protest & realized the cut was back to being "crudded up". Caked on mud & scabbed over. Back to square one again, except for now her leg is swollen up to about her her hock. Her leg is not hot/or warm & she isn't limping. Her feet are clean & nothing appears to be wrong with the foot itself. The only thing I can gather is it's this stinking cut again. Besides the fact of keeping that cut clean again, what should I do? I mean she doesn't appear to be in pain & her leg isn't hot & she's not limping. Vet said to turn her out & let her walk on it, she thinks that movement will help that leg get moving & see if that helps the swelling some. Does that sound right? Like I said I'm sort of at a lost beside the fact of keeping that cut clean & an eye on it. Any suggestions??

[Joey A]

If you suspect that it's an infection issue due to the cut you should talk to your vet about some anti-biotics. Other than that I would probalby keep it wrapped with a polo unless it's too low to wrap it all.

I'd reccomend some "Wonderdust" for the wound. Just clean it out and puff the dust on until it stops getting saturated from the wound. Dries out the wound and makes it resolve faster.

[FoxFireEMT]

Thanks Walkin. I have been using the wonder dust after cleaning it & my reasoning b/c the other junk was "frozen" because my BO (grin-sarcastically) used it & left it outside. Wonder dust was all I had that wasn't frozen. That & it worked well b/c she didn't want me getting near that leg after scrubing it with benadine & warm water. She was NOT happy with me. Can't say I blame her. I thought about polo wrap & vet wrap to help keep it clean but I guess I could say its more towards the cornet band then the pastern. It's in the middle, such a difficult position. I have NO clue how it happened, my best guess... someone stepped on her. **shrug** Thanks Walkin. I'm gonna call vet again tomorrow if it hasn't gone down any with turn out & see what she thinks about antibiotics. **This is all I need right now**.

[lovesfortune]

I was going to suggest what Walkin did with the antibiotics and the Wonderdust.

Also, since she isn't too happy with you scrubbing it, could you try to just soak it in water and epsom salt to clean it and then apply the wonder dust after? That way you aren't really messing with her that much?

When Reggie hurt his leg last year, he HATED everything but the bucket, epsom salt and wonder dust. It really worked well with him until he opened it up again on the same thing he cut himself on last time.

Good luck!

[WashingtonBay]

Well, I'd probably clean it and wrap it to keep it clean and dry... movement would be good, and a bute for a few days for inflammation probably wouldn't hurt.

[FoxFireEMT]

You know what Loves, I didn't think of that... I got soaking boots. Hmmm gonna try that tomorrow mornign when I get off work. Thanks!

Washington: Thought bout the bute but VET shot me down & told me to try the others first. Like I said if it doesn't show any improvement by tomorrow morning, I'll be pushing for the bute. I really dont' want to see this escalate into anything far worse.

Thanks 4 your suggestions!

[TLC97]

Definately clean it and wrap it. A shot of penicilin for a few days probably would not hurt either. I am surprised the vet said no to the bute.

[FoxFireEMT]

yea well I'm not thrilled of this vet.... (This just proves my point further!)

[vicklynn]

I hope what ever the problem is, that he heals up and soon.

[mustangluver]

I would do the cleaning soaking the whole leg and letting her move.
You know when you like hurt something and you baby it it gets all stiff and sore? but once you start moving and stretching it, it starts to feel better? Maybe just letting her use it and get it moving and stretched will help.

[oursarge]

I don't have any advise but hope she'll be OK. Poor baby.

[CrazyManda]

Sometimes a tiny scratch can make the whole leg blow up like that...it happens a lot at the college I used to go to. I'd just keep it clean, and use a form of antibiotics. I wouldn't worry about limiting her exercise since it's a minor scrape.

[FoxFireEMT]

Obviously I'm worried b/c it's not normal ~ but I didn't "freak" out because it wasn't warm & she wasn't limping. She didn't seem to be favoring it in any way. I hope you guys are right & it just seems to work itself out. Naturally I'm worried b/c I dont' want my horse hurting or being unrideable! Anyway, I'm gonna keep the sucker clean, do the soaking & excersice & if it doesn't improve I'll be calling the vet again! I apprciate everyone's opinion & suggestions!

[lovesfortune]

Let us know what it looks like tomorrow. Pictures if you could too! ;) or maybe after the holiday anyways... forgot tomorrow was Christmas Eve.

[mustangluver]

Hope she is doing better today!!

[FoxFireEMT]

Well I went out this am & it doesn't look any better & doesn't look any worse to me. BO said that it went down in swelling some over night but not much. She still is not limping (good thing) & she is still not hot in the leg (another good thing). However, I opted to give her some bute this am with her morning meal. She's usually a very messy eater & she wasnt' as messy today (guess she saw my urging her) to be good & eat ALL to food with out loosing half the medicine! LOL. Anyway, I didn't have my camera. Hubby has it but when I get back out there tonight to feed & soak that foot I'll get some pictures. Thanks everyone. I just pray her leg gets better. I'm never any good when my animals get hurt.

[WashingtonBay]

I think a round of antibiotics would be good, and I'd consider that the bute wouldn't do any harm.

[westmanfarrier]

Why would you want to soak the foot and make it softer and more prone to problems without knowing what is going on?

Did the exercise help? You mentioned there was no pain, so it probably is not an abscess. Was the laceration weeping any off color fluid when you clean it? I would probably agree with the vet and say it is some stocking up. A horse is designed to move. Blood flow to the limbs is aided by movement.

[FoxFireEMT]

Nope no fluid coming from the wound. Matter fact the wound is basically scabbed over. However it looked as though there was maybe mud around the wound b/c it had rained here for many many days. But after cleaning up the wound ~ nothing, just the cut. According to BO that the leg had gone down some since last evening. Mind you I did not see her yesterday b/c I was working. (24 hr shifts) So it appears that getting out of that stall appeared to help some. Only reason I thought I would try soaking was because someone suggested. However before reading your post I talked to my Trimmer & he basically said the same thing you did. Trimmer also related that he didn't believe it sounded like any "hoof" issues either. Thanks westmanfarrier for your input.

[lovesfortune]

Sorry to suggest soaking, I wasn't thinking of the hoof, I was thinking about cleaning out the wound and you said she didn't tolerate the scrubbing very well.

[SedonaThunder]

Hippy advice - tea tree oil. I have a horse that will not tolerate my messing with his owies so when he had a fairly big one (over an inch long and 1/4" wide) with swelling on the inside of his front knee - I mixed tea tree with olive oil in a squirt bottle and sprayed the wound twice a day without having to touch him. It was dusty summer time and it never got infected and it healed up in a little over a week with no scar. I've since used it on lots of other horse owies.

As for the swelling... I too would guess it has a lot to do with being cooped up. Hope she's feeling better soon!

[FoxFireEMT]

Sorry to suggest soaking, I wasn't thinking of the hoof, I was thinking about cleaning out the wound and you said she didn't tolerate the scrubbing very well.


Oh please don't be sorry... It's just something that I'm gonna hold off on trying that. That is all. I got the epsom salt ready though. It was a good idea in my opinion.

[FoxFireEMT]

Hippy advice - tea tree oil. I have a horse that will not tolerate my messing with his owies so when he had a fairly big one (over an inch long and 1/4" wide) with swelling on the inside of his front knee - I mixed tea tree with olive oil in a squirt bottle and sprayed the wound twice a day without having to touch him. It was dusty summer time and it never got infected and it healed up in a little over a week with no scar. I've since used it on lots of other horse owies.

As for the swelling... I too would guess it has a lot to do with being cooped up. Hope she's feeling better soon!


Where you get Tea Tree oil??? And like the olive oil that you guy in the grocery store & cook with?? Thanks something I will add to my first aid kit & keep it in mine. :) I'm willing to try anything.

[Remali]

I would really try and let her out of the stall....two days in a stall is an awfully long time and not real good for their lungs either....unless it is icy I would turn her out, even in a round pen, for exercise, walking will help her. Glad it is scabbed over and looking better, that is a good sign if nothing is oozing out of it and the swelling is going down.

[TLC97]

Fox-Wal-Mart carries tea tree oil.

[offgridgirl]

Scubbing the wound is really dangerous, try spraying/spriting with a saline solution(make yourself with salt and distilled H2O) to loosen any dirt or scabs. Then coat with antibiotic cream or tee tree oil.

[FoxFireEMT]

**Update**

Thanks you again everyone who offered opinions & well wishes! Legend's leg is no longer swollen & I have rode her for a short time the last 2 days. Short time I mean maybe 10-15 min. No problems each time. It was too muddy to do anything but walk but I was okay with that. The cut on her pastern has come back open but I have aggressivly keeping the mud & "guk" out of it. I've been cleaning & putting all the goodies on it to help it heal & close ASAP. I tried wrappin it, after about 1 hr in the field it was off. I tried about a million and 1 ways to wrap it with no luck! So she has been summons to another field by herself where there is little to no mud until that think closes back up. Again, thanks everyone for your suggestions & help.