Seroma over splint bone hind leg right below hock

Viewing 3 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • #21370

      New to forum, I have a five yo Irish SH that developed acute swelling the size of orange inferior to hock left hind. Some swelling in lower leg inferior to it mild. Not tender and not lame. X-ray normal of splint. No abrasion or laceration. Not lame on straight way. Assumed hematoma so did compression wraps for a week, no change and came up mildly lame on lunge with affected leg on outside of circle. Vet returned. Normal X-ray. Not lame on straight way. Not tender to touch. US showed intact tendons, large fluid collection so it was drained and it was serous fluid. No pus, no blood. Back to compression wraps. Not improving, swelled back today. Any suggestions on how to reduce the recollection of fluid. He is in standing wrap with DMSO/furozone. It’s not painful. Should I leave it be? Go back to riding. Vet said movement may help. The swelling is so bad seems odd I don’t know source. Would a simple kick do this without hematoma? Also wondering why he is subtly off.

    • #21371

      Welcome Kerri,
      A kick that would cause swelling and “subtle offness” as you describe, will likely leave an abrasion on the hair coat and skin. Since the swelling lies over the splint bone in a young horse, certainly a “splint”, osteo-periostitis-desmitis of one of the small splint bones, is most likely though the amount of swelling you describe would be remarkable. With the lameness present, I would rest the horse, and if your vet agrees with the diagnosis treat as described in the article, https://horseadvice.com/horse-equine/diseases/lameness-in-horses/diseases-of-the-lower-limb/diseases-of-the-splint-bones-2/.
      DrO

    • #21381

      Thank you for the response. I had not thought of it as a traditional “splint” bc he was never tender and it was never warm. But the periosteal inflammation makes sense bc of the direct trauma. I’ll go back to rest and ice. I had put him back in the paddock and she has been running around a lot which worried me. I have kept him in standing wraps at night and a sport boot in daytime. Swelling has decreased which is a good sign. Kerri

    • #21386

      Good to here the swelling is coming down. NSAID’s would be logical treatment for the acute stage of inflammation.
      DrO

Viewing 3 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.