Horse Health

Question
QUESTION: My recently retired race horse came inside with a puffy hot leg. It's her right front and it was hot from below the knee to the ankle. At first I thought maybe it was the start of a bow, but not so much any more. I cold hosed it and walked her yesterday and the swelling in the tendon went down, and it seemed to still be hot and puffy down around her ankle. She is pretty much sound, except for a little bit of favoring it at the trot, but you could barely tell. My friend said maybe an abcess coming out, but I don't think so. I have pictures of the leg if needed.

Thanks so much

ANSWER: Hi Hali - I am so sorry that I didn't see your question yesterday.  Completely my fault.

Regarding your horse's leg ... Sounds like the swelling was along the back of the leg right??  I don't think it was an abscess either to tell you the truth.  Sounds like a soft tissue injury or strain of some sort.  What you're probably seeing around her ankle or pastern is gravity pulling the same swelling that was along the tendon, down to the pastern.  It will take a few days for that to go away.  You're doing the right thing with by hosing it.  Keep that up for as long as you need to.  Soft tissue injuries heal very slowly because tendons and ligaments don't have the blood flow that bones do.  Try not to get in hurry to put her back to work.

Hope that helps and that she's doing better!

Judi

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Subboos leg   QUESTION: okay thanks so much! I went and visited her today and the swelling was about completely gone. Her leg was ice cold and there was a bit of swelling/fluid on her ankle. Is that common with a strain or could it be that she just knocked herself? Thanks so much, what you said made a lot of sense!!!

ANSWER: Hi Hali -

I just got home from working my part time job at a local boarding facility and saw your response and picture.  When you purchased your horse, did they mention that she had been pin-fired?  There is mixed feelings about this therapy but it's used for chronic soft tissue issues.  I found an article that you'll probably want to read so you will know more about it.  My guess is that this mare had the procedure due to chronic bowed tendon.  You photo looks like a classic tendon inflammation to me.  The swelling you still see in her pastern is just residual fluid that moved down from the tendon - that whole gravity thing.  It doesn't have anywhere else to go so it will sit in her pastern until it get re-absorbed.  Anyway, here's that article ... http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=2783

Let me know if you have any other questions and I wish you all the best with your new horse!

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QUESTION: They did not mention the pin-firing, however i have worked at many tracks and i do believe she was pinfired due to bucking her shins. if this is soft tissue damange, how long would you say she would need off?

Thanks

Answer
Hi Hali -

I think that there are a lot of trainers out there that treat bucked shins with pin firing using the logic that the condition is caused by the soft tissue along the front of the canon bone separating from the bone.  Many times bucked shins can go on to cause micro fractures and or stress fractures of the canon bone which you probably already know.  

To be honest Hali, if this was my mare, I'd have her x-rayed at the very least and ideally, ultra-sound tested and/or MRI's taken of those front legs.  It would be best to know for sure what kind of damage you're dealing with so you know how best to treat it, otherwise the injury cycle could continue to haunt you for a long time.

I wish I had some less-expensive advice for you but anything less than a thorough exam would be shear guess work.  I wish you the best of luck and would love to hear how this works out for you!

Thanks!!!