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  Discussion on Wind Puff or Ligament Injury?
Author Message
New Member:
Catsmeow

Posted on Thursday, Apr 13, 2006 - 5:59 pm:

One Week ago I pulled my 5 yo Gelding out of his stall and found a slight swelling or lump I guess on the distal side of his left hind leg just above the fetlock. I felt no heat and he showed no lameness so I rode him W-T-C. The next day he still had the lump and still no lameness. But when I felt the swelling there was some heat. The lump was/is soft and oblong in shape. Right between the digital flexor tendon and the suspensory ligament..where you might squeeze to pick up the hoof. Still No noticeable lameness. I cold hosed and poulticed and returned him to his stall. By Sunday--a few days later. He was still not obviously lame at the trot though I thought he looked short when reaching with his L-hind.

Now a week later the vet has diagnosed the lump as a wind puff - which I have heard of but have no experience with. However, during the lameness evaluation my horse was VERY lame on that left hind. My horse presented with a very exaggerated movement --almost like stringhalt?--in the left hind leg. He would pull the left hind straight up before helping it forward in a jerky motion. The vet suspects a stifle problem. X-rays revealed no bone injuries. We are treating the wind puff? with poultices and bute for the lameness. In the mean time--handwalking only. Over the course of the week, my horse has become very sensitive to touch in the area of the lump--however, he is young and unused to so much wrapping/hosing/poking and his pain-like reaction may only be irritation with his people. Could the wind puff be a ligament injury and thus explain the increasing lameness? My vet did not think it was a ligament injury but he was admittedly confounded by my horses degree of lameness.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2006 - 7:42 am:

No the location you describe is the volar pouch of the fetlock joint. However it may not be benign, it may indicate inflammation in the joint. The swelling in association with the lameness coming on makes it very suspicious.

If the lameness does not resolve, further investigation of the fetlock using blocks to rule it in as the possible cause of the lameness then further diagnostics as indicated by the exam. If that does not pan out consider sequential blocks to localize the lameness, for more see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Localizing Lameness in the Horse.
DrO
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