Swollen Back legs?

[Rebelpaintrider]

My 4y/o has been coming in from the field with his back legs swollen… Doesn’t seem to bother him or hurt him… He’s not off or anything. Rode him the other day and by the end of my ride (20 min or so) his legs were back to normal… This only happens when he comes in from the field… and it’s only his back legs… I can’t figure out what can cause it – allergy? But why just his back legs - (more around his fetlock & pastern area)


Help? :confused:

[HollysHobbies]

I had a TB that did this twice last summer...I think (vet concurred) he was eating a weed (edited: or plant or something) of some sort that was causing an allergic reaction. I wound up putting him in 1/2 day and feeding hay for 2 weeks, but mainly because he'd had a bought of enteritis the week before followed by a 4 day hospital visit to the tune of $3000, probably (IMO) from overeating the same weed.

Temp him also--if it goes up or he looks uncomfortable/painful and swelling increases, it might be lymphingitis. I had another TB that would get lymphingitis every fall like clockwork.

Check in with your vet though--these are just my similar experiences.

[Androcles]

I had a TB that did this twice last summer...I think (vet concurred) he was eating a weed of some sort that was causing an allergic reaction. I wound up putting him in 1/2 day and feeding hay for 2 weeks, but mainly because he'd had a bought of enteritis the week before followed by a 4 day hospital visit to the tune of $3000, probably (IMO) from overeating the same weed.


I love these kinds of veterinary pulled out of thin air guesses. What evidence is it based on? Why a weed necessarily and not just any plant? And why an allergic reaction in the hind legs (that incidentally goes down with exercise)?

[Rebelpaintrider]

He does like clover... the stuff that makes them drooooool. But I've never seen or herd a horse having a problem with that.

[ladipus]

My 4y/o has been coming in from the field with his back legs swollen… Doesn’t seem to bother him or hurt him… He’s not off or anything. Rode him the other day and by the end of my ride (20 min or so) his legs were back to normal… This only happens when he comes in from the field… and it’s only his back legs… I can’t figure out what can cause it – allergy? But why just his back legs - (more around his fetlock & pastern area)


Help? :confused:
I'd be inclined to think along the lines of lymphangitis...my horses hind legs stocked up,got heat eventually,then fever,then started dragging his hind toes,and was reluctant/uncomfortable to do anything more than a trot...bloodwork confirmed lymphangitis...which can be caused by a tick or even having small cuts/scratches on the hind legs/fetlocks or even dew posioining according to my vet...dex and banamine,and oxytet initially,then followed up w/ a course of doxy cleared it up...he was almost 85% better w/in a day or two...

monitor your horses temp and keep watching the hind legs...they can swell to the size of tree trunks if not treated early on which makes for a longer/more difficult recovery.

Other posters have indicated swollen hind legs,w/ fever,diarrhea and going off feed to potomac horse fever which is also very serious and should be treated asap to prevent founder/laminitis which can come on quickly ...these are the more serious things that it could be...not to scare you..but just be aware and keep a close eye on your horse...and make sure you have a good competant/knowledgable HORSE vet check your horse...and if you're not comfortable w/ what your vet has told you get somebody else...better to be safe than sorry-that's just been my experience

[Granada]

Could be cellulitis from dew poisoning if he's in pasture. one of my horses gets this during the summer out in pasture. If he has any small scratches or bug bites on his hind legs they can get infected and then his skin gets thick and crusty sort of looks like a fungus problem... but kind of different. He's not lame at all. I guess this is simmilar to what ladipus wrote.

We scrub his hind legs everyday with nolvasan. He's also getting a cream from the vet. It seems to help a lot but we have to stay on top of it every day. Could be similar to your case? Good luck.

[Rebelpaintrider]

Update: Took Pete's temp this afternoon, came in at 103-104... made the call to the vet. His legs were still so swollen - Vet gave him a dose of Banamine (sp?) and a few other fluids to make him more comfortable, Took blood to get tested and said to give him an alcohol bath if his temp gets 103-104 again to cool him down some and to sweat his legs... Vet said that this is the 5th case he's seen of this so far this month, Although they still don't have an exact answer they are a hair off, But know it has something to do with ticks/lymes - depending on if you catch it early or not.

Pete didn't have any personality changes, Still same upbeat, laid back horse you'd ever meet. Still ate normal, drank.

Will keep posted on progress.

[AKB]

One of our horses developed fevers, leg swelling and swelling of the sheath a few years ago. We eventually decided, after lots of lab work and a trial of IV tetracycline and doxycycline (for possible tick borne diseases), that it was related to the weed hoary alyssum. We think the weed was in our hay cubes. Check your hay and pastures. It is a toxic plant and can cause laminitis.