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Discussion on Exercising with swelling in fetlock but no lameness
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 13, 2002 - 4:57 pm:
Dr. O.
My horse injured herself somehow last night . I found a dried up scratch on the inside of her left front fetlock and there was some local swelling around it - just a softish swelling no lumps or anything. very little or no heat and no lameness when trotted in 15 m circle to left or right. I guess you could call it a very minor injury.
So, I put on a furizone sweat (as described in the article) to reduce the inflamation but now I wonder if I did the right thing becuase the article also says to use cold therapy for 72 hours after injury. So, if there is not heat, is it ok to do the furizone sweat right now? AND if there is no lameness, is it ok to exercise her? in my experience exercise makes the swelling go down.
What do you think?
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Posted on Thursday, Mar 14, 2002 - 7:23 am:
Hello Marci,
Sweats, as described in the articles, are not used to reduce inflammation, but to increase it or at least some of the beneficial effects of inflammation. Reread the paragraphs titled "Principles of Therapy" in the article on sweats and linaments: Counter Irritation as Therapy in Horses.
Cold probably should have been used when the injury first occurred. If it is now cold, heat (sweats) would be good and I see nothing in your post that suggests she cannot be exercised though I cannot say for sure without examining the horse.
DrO
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