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  Discussion on Ruptured Hematoma
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Member:
Stevens

Posted on Thursday, Feb 2, 2006 - 2:59 pm:

Has anyone heard of such a thing?

My horse had a slightly swollen fetlock, I suspect due to scratches, but was not lame so had his usual workout after which his leg was hosed, dried and the scratches treated and a standing wrap applied. The next morning, his entire lower leg was swollen; fetlock to below the hock. This swelling did not go down for 2 days despite being hosed, wrapped and given bute. Note that he remained sound throughout, pretty stoic fellow.

I had the vet out on day 3. He administered banamine and said that exercise had likely ruptured the original hematoma inducing the additional swelling. The prescribed treatment is hand walk, hose the leg and apply standing wrap (twice a day)and a 500lb dose of banamine daily (1300 lb warmblood). After one day of treatment the swelling is essentially gone.

I've left a message for my vet, giving the update and asking about an estimated recovery time, but in the meantime was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I was given enough banamine for 2 weeks of treatment but don't want to administer it if it isn't needed. Obviously, the swelling will have to stay gone without the wraps before he goes back to work.

Thanks!

Chris
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Feb 3, 2006 - 7:27 am:

Hello Chris,
I have seen this several times but the first was the most dramatic as I got to actually witness the event. At a local hunter show the horse goes in fine, has a good round, comes out and while being untacked they notice swelling in the fetlock. I was the vet on duty so came over and as I watched the swelling was growing however the horse was sound.

I was flumoxed until I stuck a needle is it and it was just blood. We pressure wrapped, took blood to see if there were any clotting disorders, and I sent him home. The labs were fine. 2 weeks later the owners called and with nothing more than pressure wrapping the horse was near normal.

Note that one time I did find a horse with a clotting disorder secondary to a monoclonal gammopathy that is a whole-nother story.
DrO
Member:
Stevens

Posted on Friday, Feb 3, 2006 - 11:13 am:

Dr O,

Thanks for the quick response. Watching it swell must have been really fun for the owner too.

I hand walked my boy last night without a wrap and his leg stayed tight so hopefully we'll be doing light work in the next week or so, with wraps of course!!

I'll stick with the prescribed treatment until I hear differently from my vet. It really would be nice to skip the 5:45 am visit in my work clothes!!

Chris
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