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  Discussion on Swollen legs and others
Author Message
New Member:
Kmmclea

Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 2:49 am:

My horse is in a yard which had 2 confirmed cases of Strangles. 5 weeks from the inital case he had a temp of 102.8 but no other clinical signs of strangles. At the same time I noticed that he was drinking a lot and having difficulty urinating. He was treated as suspected strangles, injected for 4 days with penicillian and isolated. He was also swabbed, the culture has shown no indications of the strangles bacteria, he has shown no outward signs of stranles 6 days on. His hind legs are now filled, this started initally with localised swelling over the suspensory ligament area on the inside of his hind leg. Both hind legs are now filled, solid to touch and hot. Although he has shown no signs of stranles is it possible that he could have purpura hemmoragica? His temperature has returned to normal. He was also diagnoised as having a spavin 4 months ago, which although he became sound again after cortisone injections is now lame again. This lameness happend prior to his high temperature and thirst. Could this all be connected?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 8:17 am:

Yes I think purpura is a possibility but am uncertain that it is related to the drinking, urinary, and lameness problems: I would work these up separately.
DrO
New Member:
Djane

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 23, 2003 - 11:08 am:

I had a quarter horse gelding who had a classic case of strangles which absessed at the throat latch. He continued to go downhill so penicillin was given for seven days; he started eating and drinking again but then became swollen on all four legs. Soon after he absessed on all four legs which drained profusely below the fetlocks. He did recover after weeks of hot packs and stall rest.
New Member:
Charlesn

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 9:44 pm:

Pulling my hair out over swollen front legs.
This is the second time for this problem. All of a sudden this morning the mare has swollen front legs (one slightly worse than the other) below the knee through the fetlock. She was shod 3 days ago but was moving perfectly up to yesterday. We have only trotted her over the last several weeks so no hard work was performed. She has no sensitivity on her sole so abcesses and such seem out of the question. She does not have a fever. She did not get too much grain. We live in central Texas and I have been looking for plant poisoning articles and such because neither I or my vet understand the problem. I looked for snake wounds and found none.

So I gave her bute, hosed the legs, soaked them in cold water and epsom salts. Then I put Ice Tight (a paste used for race horses and swelling) and wrapped the legs with vet wrap. I put her in the stall with only hay and water. The swelling is gone in one leg a greatly reduced in the other after 8 hours.

This happened 6 months ago. By the way, she has a pasture mate on the same feed (14% pellets), hay and pasture and he has never had any of this.

Any words of wisdom?

Charles
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 10:49 am:

Charles was the mare clearly lame with the swollen legs?
DrO
New Member:
polar

Posted on Thursday, Feb 28, 2008 - 11:05 am:

I have a friend with a horse with recurring heat and swelling in his front legs,from the fetlock nearly up to the knee. There seems to be no sign of lameness and no heat in his feet. He is a 9 year old thoroughbred gelding with excellent care in a barn with 6 other horses. This is the second occurrence. The first one was a month ago, and the vet couldn't diagnose the problem, but prescribed Tucoprim, which the horse received for 2 weeks. The hair burned off of his legs and the skin was red, but after the symptoms subsided the hair grew back in 2 weeks. There seem to be no other symptoms- he feels good, appetite is normal, etc. and no sign of lameness. The heat goes away with hosing with cold water, but returns the next day.
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