Any guesses on this lameness?

Question

So my horse came in yesterday morning 3 legged lame. Her hind left leg was really swollen and she was reluctant to put weight on it, and didn't want my trainer to mess with it. I was out of town but I just got home and came to check on her. To my great annoyance, my trainer gave her a good amount of bute so it can't tell if she's doing better or if she's just drugged up. At the moment, it's swollen only between her pastern and hock, nothing lower and nothing higher. She's not limping at all and doesn't care if I squeeze all over her leg or mess with her hoof. There's a tiny bit of heat right under her hock, and there's also a small scratch there. Before I have to call the vet, any guesses on what's wrong? Blown tendon? Infected from the scratch? Thanks in advance

Missy B · Accepted Answer

I had a horse that would throw massive tantrums during thunderstorms.

I had him for several years, but it got to the point that I'd be ready with bute after a thunderstorm, because he'd kick his own butt in the stall.

Bute and rest for 2 days. Then re-evaluate.

Heat is a sign of inflammation. That can be caused by injury, by infection, by an acute attack of a chronic long term issue like arthritis.

If the wound is not oozing or swollen, it is probably not an infection. Though it could still become an infection. Just clean it, bute the horse for 2 days, and call the vet if it doesn't get better.

gallop · Answer

You are right to be annoyed with the trainer.  Bute is a prescription drug for a reason and the reason is that veterinary expertise is required in order to determine the medical rationale for administering it. By masking signs, bute not only interferes with the ability to accurately assess status of the injury, but by relieving pain, it can also encourage the horse to worsen the injury by overusing the injured limb.  
A three-legged lameness with the swelling you describe warrants veterinary evaluation asap, which I would schedule right away.  The scratch you see could be a portal for microbial invasion and infection, but even without that, the risk of serious tendon or ligament injury warrants early veterinary diagnosis and intervention.  
My advice is to schedule a vet exam asap.

? · Answer

A horse at my yard had something similar I'm not quite sure what the vet put it down to but I know that the heat was a sign of infection being faught off and for about 5/6 weeks I had to redo her poultice because the gash below her hock was bad! I'm not quite sure what exactly happened her but the fencing was broken in the field so I guess the two are connected. Is there anything your horse may have fallen over or spooked at and got herself into bother with? Rocks, fencing, wire? Maybe investigate where she was when it happened and I suggest a poultice they really work wonders but beware taking them off they can be veryyyy puss filled haha keep your horse out of work until it heals and just simple exercises like walking on a lunge or lead rope and once the swelling goes down try some trot. If it's only a scratch shouldn't take long to heal the infection. Good luck!

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Any guesses on this lameness?

3 Answers