# Leg hot and swollen but not lame



## Sparkles (29 August 2010)

Got my horse in y/d, hind leg was hot to touch and some considerable swelling.
Scrubbed him up, etc and checked over, has a very small nick on his pasten which cleaned up and creamed etc. Nothing deep, just a small graze where looks like he's stepped on himself or something silly.
Further inspection and he has tiny little scabs which have appeared just under his hind fetlock, a little bit like mud fever but not as extreme. Scrubbed them up, warm water, dried them fully and then put some mud guard/disinfectant barrier cream on.
Leg cold hosed for 20mins or so straight away also.

However, leg is swollen from base of fetlock up to his hock. More so down the bottom, but kept him in and when it came to coming back up later that night, was filling more towards his hock direction.
Not 'lymphangitis huge' by any stretch - I'd say it's swollen about a 1/4 or 1/5 more than it's usual size.

He's been prone to cellulitis in the past on that leg, but originally I kept him in, in case he'd tweaked himself [even though not been in much work this week to warrant him tweaking it from that, though turnout field is a tiny bit slippy but flat]. However, with the filling creeping up slightly a bit more with him stood in, I decided to cream his legs up again, give him antibiotics and a bute and put him out for the night [with a quiet pony, flat field, not slippy]. Going up there in a sec to see how his leg looks today and shall post then.

Anyway, trotted him up on the conrete drive and he was sound.
Took him in the school on the lunge to trot him round quick and he was sound still too.

If it's not gone down, I'll give the vet a ring first thing tomorrow morning obviously, just wanted to give him a day or so first to see if it is just a touch of cellulitis [which he's had before identical to this] and if the anti biotics start to kick in.

Thoughts?


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## Sparkles (29 August 2010)

Bought him in this morning and his legs back down to normal size again, but still a little bit of heat there.
Gave him anti-B's in his feed and stood in for the morning, but then his leg had filled up a little bit again [not huge, just a bit more than the no swelling he had when he came in].
Anyway, still not lame or anything, sound enough as a pound...giving it till tomorrow morning and shall give our vet a call just to check he's happy enough with it if it seems better, or if not, call him to get him out to check it.


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## laz (29 August 2010)

The horse i look after in the same field as my other ones  has had this coming and going for the past month.  The exact same symptoms as your one has.  I got the vet out and he gave me some anti b and danolin but it didnt really make much difference.  He thought it was due to fly bites as her leg was really scabby.   I have now figured out myself that it is due to when the sun comes out it is reacting on her leg as she has a white sock.  I think it is like a type of sunburn.  When the weather is cooler her leg is fine.


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## Sparkles (29 August 2010)

Interesting. My lad has no white on him though


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## Tnavas (30 August 2010)

Try washing with Nizeral - buy from the chemist - if it is greasy heel then this will sort it out but it won't harm him if it isn't. Some dark legs do get greasy heel same as backs can get rain scald - just the conditions at the time.

Dilute Nizeral in warm water and lather up with a face cloth - helps gently remove any scabs. You can also leave it on with no ill effects.


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## Sparkles (30 August 2010)

Thanks 

Checked him today and swelling is gone, still a slight bit of heat in it more than normal, but is normal looking again. Shall keep him on anti-B's for 2 more days so he has a full course, keep sorting his legds and see where we are on wednesday


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