Swollen Back Left Leg - *edit* What Could It Be??

[KrazyTBMare]

Went to turn out for the night and noticed Laylas left hind looked a little puffy. After checking it, there is a triangle shaped swelling, smaller at the top, wider at the bottom, on the back of her left hind, about 3" above the fetlock and ending at the fetlock. After looking at pictures online (because I will be the first to admit I am not good at knowing which tendons are which), it looked to be in the superficial flexor tendon area.

It is slightly warm and it doesnt APPEAR to be sensitive to palpation but of course if I go to press on it, she thinks I am asking her to lift her foot. Its SO wet here I cant even think to make her trot in hand to see if shes off but shes walking on it just fine. I can walk her down the aisle and shes walking big and over tracking evenly and doesnt have a problem turning left or right.

I am going to give her 1g of bute just in case to help the swelling.... should I wrap it? I have quilts and standings and I could wrap both hinds if that would help... I am so spoiled as Ive never really had any injuries with the horses *knocks on wood*

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I just came in from cold hosing for 15 mins and I gave her 1g of bute. It def must have felt good as my mare doesnt stand for anything that involves COLD water (shes a princess). She stood there and didnt move at all and usually she will lift her foot and try to "escape" the water but not tonight.

Some pics... What area is this? I mean it HAS been really wet and Im sure shes been standing around more but wouldnt more than one leg be swollen if that was the reason why?

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/krazytbmare1/IMG_0481.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/krazytbmare1/IMG_0488.jpg

this kind of shows the area that is swelling but its on both sides
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/krazytbmare1/IMG_0485a.jpg

after hosing... excuse the poop!
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/krazytbmare1/IMG_0507.jpg

[KrazyTBMare]

Just wanted to add that I just wrapped it with a no-bow and standing wrap. Will update in the AM...

[Jacqui]

Same thing happened to my gelding in Oct., he ran around the paddock like a crazy man and 2 days later we had a warm swollen RF fetlock. Icing, bute, handwalk for 2 weeks and standing wraps. My vet did an ultrasound and found just some swelling of the SDFT, no tears.
When she came back 2 weeks later the ultrasound images were normal. Very lucky! We had a kind of windpuff in the area for about 6 weeks, it is gone now.
I am being very conservative in our riding right now. We are in no rush, it is going to be a long winter.
Hope it is something minor, you should def. have an ultrasound done.
Good Luck

[KrazyTBMare]

Thank you. I am not sure I wrapped as tight as I should of (nervous of making it too tight) and it had slid down a little this am.

I checked it at 6am. Still swollen and warm but again no lameness. I went ahead and cold hosed it for another 20 mins. I did not wrap it because I will be at work all day but hubby is home and said he could hose it for me a couple times while I was working. He obviously doesnt know how to wrap and I dont feel comfortable with her having a wrap on without someone there who knows what to do if it became unwrapped/tangled.

Anyone have any input as to what tendons or whatever could be involved? Its right at the bottom/back area of the cannon and is at the very bottom where you press to have them lift their feet.

I can press and palpate the area and she does not appear to be sore at all. Of course there are times when I press and she thinks Im asking her to lift her foot.

Poor pony...

[Jacqui]

Cold hosing and bute and stall rest are the best things you can do right now. You said it was really wet, could she have strained it running in the mud? I also would not wrap it if you are uncomfortable wrapping. If you are comfortable with it don't worry about too tight if your pillow wraps are thick. They will offer support over night that she needs. I would call your vet so they can assess the damage and you will know whether you are dealing with a couple of weeks or a few months. Only an ultrasound can tell you. It you work her or turn her out too soon it could be disasterous.

[KrazyTBMare]

Well I got some DMSO and Fura free and made a sweat and put syran wrap on it and wrapped with a quilt (the no bows were a little too tricky for me) and a standing. Def came out well. The swelling was down some from this AM (hubby cold hosed her twice for me while I was at work today) and it was only slightly warm, still not sore to palp or flex or walk/turn. If I dont see any improvement by tomorrow I will get a vet out who has an ultrasound.

Jac, I am hoping she just sprained something due to the wetness.. I mean its mud sucking wet now and the neighbor had a new horse out this weekend in the field that shares a fence with mine and they were all passaging around so Im hoping its just a little something and nothing major....

[Jacqui]

Me too! Your doing all the right things!