Lame horse

[dcara]

Not sure how she did this. No broken skin but right front leg swollen from above knee down to hoof. No trauma to hoof either. First noticed her limp last Wednesday (the 5th). Leg was only a little swolen then when I checked it and felt heat but no bones out of place that I could tell. Swelling has increased and limp is about the same. Vet is not back until next week. She is a pasture horse that runs with some of my cattle on some property about an hour away from my home. Suggestions please.






Thanks
dcara

 

[M.Magis]

I'd be looking for another vet that's in town. I don't know squat about horses, but I know the infection could very well be more wide spread than you can tell by looking at it. I would think at the least, it needs some antibiotics for the infection.

 

[M-5]

Probably just a sprain . If she were mine i would reduce the area she had access to to lessen the chance of her running. I would massage the area with DMSO and monitor her along with an anti inflamatory . If it gets worse call another vet.

 

[dcara]

update
We had been using DMSO twice a day with a wrap and it helped swelling and walking a little but helped heat a lot for a few hours at a time within 10 minutes after application. Got her to vet yesterday. Vet said it was a staff infection in the knee. Gave her a shot of antibiotics and said give bute once a day for anti-iflamation and we will re-visit progress of therapy in 4 days. This morning swelling is down maybe 20% and she is walking much better.