We had snow here on Monday, which melted allover the place and then a hard freeze. Roads iced over and it was just a mess. I used my 4wd truck to get out of my neighborhood on Tuesday to go to work...but was not able to go see Foxy since Saturday as she is about 15 miles away on back roads that are mostly not salted. I finally was able to get there yesterday, literally driving down a road iced over with two tire tracks of non-iced area that I had to stay in, vehicles still abandoned in ditches next to the road where they had skidded off, had to drive up an iced over hill (and down it to leave), etc....and found one of her rear legs very very swollen. Basically her rear leg from hock to fetlock (but not including pastern area) was swollen round like a tree trunk. She walked out okay and had an appetite, eating, drinking, pooping.....we gave her some bute in the morning and I rechecked last night and if anything it was worse.
Is this stocking up from standing in one place all day? It has been so cold and frozen she may have just stood in the hay pile for a couple days. Or cellulitis? Or an injury? I tell ya, this horse cannot go a day without having a problem. She did have a few scrapes on that leg near her hock, but nothing major, and nothing noticeable without having to actually palpate and feel under the hair. I was able to lift and flex the leg and ankle without any problems or her trying to pull away. A dog came into their field while I was in there (Foxy has dog issues) and she left the "herd" and walked straight at it until it left....I would assume she would not do that if she was in a lot of pain.
She was definitely not 3 legged lame....
There are no open scabs/wounds on the leg other than the couple that are up almost to the hock area and they are relatively minor. Foxy has had scratches/mud fever before, on her white rear leg (couple years ago). This new issue is the brown leg which we have not had problems with before. This is also her "good leg", not the hip with all the problems and the fat ankle. When she had scratches before, she did not have extreme swelling, just gross scabbiness.
I will go out after work to recheck again. I hate to force her to exercise but may do that this evening to see if it may be a stocking up issue...Foxy has always stocked in up in a stall, but considering she has 24/7 turnout this should have resolved itself. And the fact that this is mostly fetlock to hock but not involving the pastern is kind of weird, because usually she gets the "cankles" but not all the way up her legs....
I am having a vague sense of deja vu on the tree trunk legs from the last boarding place, but I don't remember the specifics of what the issue was or if I am just imagining this. I think I remember walking her for 15 minutes around the pasture and it decreasing so I just left her out in a turnout area and that was that. The fact she is not lame on it and was perfectly fine with me and the BO palpating it and me lifting and flexing up and forward and back and out....walked okay (maybe a little stiffly but not limping badly). Did she slip on the ice and pull something? Did she stand around in the hay for days on end?
Who knows!
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4 comments:
I know what this is and the scrapes more than likely caused it. My friends gelding had it. He got his sheath cleaned and got a scratch that created his swollen sheath that was permanent. We joked about he had "swollen junk" but now we know much, much more. The vet's didn't even know what to make of it (4 seen him) when I find the actual name in my university text book I'll post more.
I don't think this is it but check her temperature
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12092
I would say no on the stocking up due to inactivity... only because it is usually more symetrical, not usually one side.
I would take her temp. Could be cellulitis but that should show a temp. Could be a puncture wound you can not see, those are usually not THAT painful either, but they can swell like a mother. Keep checking for a puncture or wound at all, in which case some topical antibiotic, blue lotion, and cold water hosing. I know its cold there, same here, but cold water hosing is almost never a bad idea in a swelling situation if you can figure out how to do it with out, you know ice coming out of the hose.
I'd call the vet if it doesnt resolve in a day or two.
I hope Foxy is doing better.
How are *you* doing with respect to your feelings about keeping her vs. letting her go?
I confess, as wonderful horses are, I don't think I could keep one that I couldn't fully enjoy. Too expensive and too much work. I think it is different if you have yourself a few horses, then having one who is just a buddy can work out. But for your one and only...tough situation.
thinking of you and foxy!
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