A little cut decided to be a big deal...

[OneMoreForTheRoad]

About 3 days ago my 14y.o. OTTB came in from the field with a little bit bigger than a nickle-sized laceration on the outside of his left-hind cannon bone, right in the middle.
I cleaned and checked it myself for any hidden punctures or anything like that and didn't find any. So I threw some antibiotic ointment on it and left a note making sure my mom knew to check/clean and put some more ointment on it in the morning while she was feeding (we have a barn at our house). So every morning and night it got cleaned and had medication put on it.
But when I go to bring him in out of the monsoon today I find that the entire length of the cannon bone is swollen on that leg, including the tendons and ligaments. It's also pretty hot. But when I go to clean off the leg the cut looks like its healing fine and there no pus or anything.
He trotted out sound, puts all of his weight on the leg and nothing below the cannon bone is swollen.

I'm just completely baffled by this and wanted to see if you guys had any stories or wisdom to share?

Also would it be a good idea to give him a dose of banamine to help the swelling go down?

[stryder]

You do not need banamine. You need antibiotics because of the infection. And a tetanus booster would be a good idea, too.

Call the vet.

[Donkey]

Ditto the vet. The worst cut my current horse has had so far (and she's put a lot of effort into injuries) was a small cut on the front of her right hind cannon bone. It took two rounds of antibiotics and the timing was such that it took too emergency weekend calls. I call it her $1000 leg - even though due to subsequent issues since then it has morphed into her $4000 leg and I haven't even begun to factor in her purchase price :( or her other legs. But she's currently sound and happy :) and you can't beat that.

Good luck to yours.

[McVillesMom]

Yikes. He could have nicked the tendon sheath. I'd have the vet take a look, as well.

[tinah]

You are dealing with an infection. Get the horse started on antibiotics as soon as possible, before it becomes systemic. You've got poor blood flow in the area naturally, and if you don't get it under control, and quickly, it will turn into a big problem.

[Watch Wee Willy]

Sounds like cellulitis to me! Call the vet asap. If left untreated, it can swell so much it can cut off blood flow, and the joints could also become inflamed. Too many people have had to put their horses down because of waiting too late to call the vet about "a little swelling", and a lack of a few dollars worth of SMZ's. He needs a tetnus shot, anti-tetnus shot, scrub it out with betadine, cold hose, bute, smz's, and wrapping with furazone and dmso for about a week.